Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Makes: 1 loaf/~12 slices
Ingredients:
  • 1 ¼ cups water heated to 105 – 115 degrees F
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 packet of instant yeast
  • 3 cups whole wheat flour (more as needed)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp butter, softened and broken into small pieces OR olive oil (additional to rub on finished bread)
 
Directions:
  1. Pour water into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add honey and yeast, stirring to combine. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam and bubble.
  2. Add all flour, salt and butter to the bowl. Mix using the paddle attachment until combined.
  3. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead on low speed for about 8 minutes. You may need to stop the mixer occasionally to scrape dough from the sides of your bowl and dough hook. When done, the dough should feel sticky and stretchy, but not completely stick to your fingers. If the dough is too sticky, add 1-2 Tbsp of flour at a time until reaching a good consistency.
  4. Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with oil and turn the dough over a couple times to coat completely with oil. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an hour, or until doubling in size.
  5. Grease a 9x5 metal or glass bread pan. When the dough has risen completely, transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Gently punch the dough down, deflating it and popping any air bubbles. Shape into a ball, and then into a loaf shape, making sure there are no large bubbles or air pockets formed. Place loaf in your pan and gently press down the top to form an even thickness.
  6. Cover again loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough rises just above the top of your loaf pan.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, until the inside registers to 190 F. The top should be golden brown and inside soft. When done, rub the top crust with butter as soon as the bread comes out of the oven.
  8. Let the bread cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack and cool for around 30 additional minutes. The bread will slice much easier when cooled completely.
  9. Top with avocado, jelly, butter, honey etc. and enjoy!
 
Note: Adapted from Kristine’s Kitchen
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