Bread is the perfect thing to make when you’re going to be around the house for the day. Today was one of those days, stormy and humid outside, trying to stay cool inside, in just a few hours, and with minimal effort, I had a fresh loaf of bread.
Special Honey Whole-Wheat Loaf
- 12 ounces bread flour (I always use King Arthur’s)
- 4 ounces whole-wheat flour (you can substitute any whole grain flour, such as spelt or rye)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp active yeast (no starter needed!)
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1.5 Cups Water
- seeds and oats for the crust (I used flaxseed meal, oats, and black sesame seeds)
- 1 scrambled egg (optional)
Mix all the dry ingredients (except for the seeds and oats) in a large mixing bowl, and stir in the water and honey until all the flour is incorporated, use a wooden spoon, or your hands.
Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 1.5 hours, it’ll double in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape it
The easiest thing to do, is place the loaf pan in front of the dough, and flatten the dough slightly until its a rectangle with it’s width equal to the width of the loaf pan. Then roll it up into a log and place it into the loaf pan, seam side down. I sprayed the pan with canola oil.
If you want to use the egg wash, brush it over the top of the dough. It will help the seeds stick to the bread, but this is optional, and the seeds will be ok without it.
Sprinkle the seed mixture over the dough and gently press it in. Sprinkle liberally.
Cover it again with plastic wrap, and let it rise another hour.
1/2 hour before its done rising, preheat the oven to 450F
Slash the top of the bread using a lame, a sharp razor, or a very sharp knife, in one swift motion.
Bake 30-35 minutes, turn it out and let it cool on a rack. You can check the inner temperature, it should be around 220F.
Nice dark crispy crust, soft chewy interior, a real winner!
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