Honey Wheat Bread

I found this recipe online awhile ago and finally made it yesterday. I modified it slightly adding some white flour and was really happy with the outcome. I like the taste a lot better than the other whole wheat bread recipe I've been using. It's really moist and soft and I've actually enjoyed eating it with just a little butter on it...as has Jacob! The one thing I might try different next time is having it rise once first before I put it into the loaves and then let it rise again.

Honey Wheat Bread
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 c. vital wheat gluten
1 1/4 tbsp instant yeast
2 1/2 cups steaming hot water (120-130 F)
2 tbsp salt
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey (or 1/2 cup sugar)
1 1/4 tbsp bottled lemon juice
2 1/2 cups white flour (or wheat flour)

Using a KitchenAid with a dough hook mix together the whole wheat flour, gluten, and yeast. Add the hot water and mix for 1 minute; cover and let it rest for 10 minutes (this is sponging).

Add the salt, oil, honey and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add the 2 1/2 cups of white flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (this makes the dough very soft).

Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees and then turn the oven off. Turn the dough onto an oiled (or PAM) counter top; divide in two, shape into loaves and place in oiled (or PAM) bread pans, pushing it gently into the corners of the loaf pan to ensure it cooks more evenly. Cover with saran wrap (sprayed with PAM) and a dish towel and let it rise in a warm oven until dough rises above the top of the pan. Do not remove bread from the oven, but turn the oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and using a pastry brush, brush butter or margarine on top and cool on racks.

Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy!