Ingredients
1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (such as SAF)
1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Directions
*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.
In the workbowl of your stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You can also continue to knead this dough with the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook) Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8″ log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8×4″ loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for another 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1″ above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350F.
Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.
Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing.
