Pete's Whole Wheat Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour, sifted


4 to 5 cups bread flour, sifted

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1½ tsp salt

1 Tbsp yeast (a rounded Tablespoon)

2 ounces honey

1 2/3 cups water

2/3 cup milk

½ stick unsalted butter



1. In a large mixer bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt and yeast.



2. In a medium bowl, combine honey, milk, water and butter, and heat to 105 degrees in the microwave.



3. Stir liquids to melt the butter and add, all at once, to the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl.



4. With the dough hook installed on your stand mixer, mix dough. Add more flour by the Tablespoon, as needed, until the dough comes together and clears the bowl. Mix for 5 minutes with the dough hook and remove to counter surface.



5. Knead by hand until no longer sticky, adding flour as necessary.



6. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Remove from bowl and divide dough in half. Make each half into a 10 x 12 rectangle and roll each up like a cigar. Pinch the seams. Roll on the countertop to make a uniform log and place in an oiled breadpan seam-side up. Shake the roll to oil the bottom, turn the pan over, catch the dough and reinsert it into the pan, seam-side-down.



7. Return to warm place and let rise an additional 30 minutes or until at least 1 inch above the pan top. Bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 25 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on rack.



Yield: 2 loaves