Perfect Wheat Bread
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 scant Tbsp Active dry yeast
-----2 packages
1/4 cup soft butter, cubed
3 cups whole wheat flour
2+ cups bread flour
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
-----this isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps make a lighter bread
2 tsp salt
In a 8 cup batter bowl combine the milk and water. Heat in the microwave until the mixture is "blood warm", body temperature (100°). Stir in 1 Tbsp of the sugar until dissolved, then sprinkle the yeast over the top. After a minute it will soften, stir it into the mixture. Add 1 cup of the wheat flour, stir until completely combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place. This process could take 1-2 hours. Watch the mixture, it will raise up, then it will begin to collapse. When it collapses, this is the sign that it is ready to use. This is your sponge.
In a large bowl, pour in the sponge, add the butter, the rest of the sugar, the remaining 2 cups of the wheat flour, 2 cups of the bread flour, gluten and the salt. Stir gently to form a dough. When it is too stiff to continue with a spoon, use your hands, only add small amounts of flour as absolutely necessary. You can do this in a large bowl or on a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic. What does this mean? You want the dough to give. If you take a small piece and stretch it in your fingers, it will form a "window" of stretched dough. This is a dough that is ready, if it breaks, then you need to knead some more. You can do this in your heavy duty stand mixer as well. The whole process will take up to 15 minutes.
When the dough is ready. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and press the top of the dough down to grease it, then turn it over. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in a warm area to raise. Allow the dough to raise until doubled in size 1 to 1 1/2 hours. It will be ready when you poke the top with your finger and the indention stays.
Lightly press the middle to "punch" down. Round the dough and let rest, covered for several minutes. Shape into two loaves and place into 2 8x4 loaf pans (greased or sprayed). Cover with lightly sprayed plastic wrap and set in a warm place to raise. You want the dough to come up to the top of the pan, about doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the pans in the oven, middle rack. Bake until the sides are golden (where the dough meets the pan). Cool the pans on their side for about 15 minutes, then gently remove and cool completely (if you can wait that long!).
This recipe make great rolls too!! I have frozen the dough, I put it into the oven after the first rise. Or you can freeze the baked product with success. Remember to wrap well in plastic wrap and then foil. I like to re-warm it in a low oven wrapped in foil.
I also make this recipe in the bread machine. I cut it in half for my 1 pound machine, simply start the sponge in the machines container and then finish the dough on the dough cycle.
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A Note from Chefmom…
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I know that calling this recipe "perfect" Wheat Bread is going out on a limb. But I have very fond memories as a child of waiting with a butter knife in hand for my Grandmother's brown bread to come out of the oven. Now the bread was heavy, and dense, but warm from the oven, well…there is nothing like it!
As an adult, I have always wanted a great tasting brown bread, but lighter in texture and crumb. I make this recipe on a regular basis. By "sponging" the yeast in the beginning you are giving more time to develop flavor. And it's a great bread!!
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