Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread

4.57 from 53 reviews

Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread

With it's soft texture, hint of honey and hearty whole wheat flavor, Milk & Honey Whole Wheat Bread tastes fantastic and will keep fresh for several days. This recipe makes one 9"x5" loaf.

Prep Time30

Bake Time35

Rising Time2

Total Time3 5

Servings:16 slices

Ingredients

6 ounces warm water (¾ cup)
2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast (1 packet)
10 ounces bread flour (2 cups, see note)
8 ounces whole milk (1 cup)
1 ½ ounces honey (2 tablespoons)
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
7 ½ ounces whole wheat flour (1 ½ cups)
1 egg for egg wash
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, combine 6 ounces warm water, 2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast and ½ cup (2 ½ oz) of the bread flour to form a smooth batter. Cover the bowl and allow the mixture to rise for ½ hour. Warm 8 ounces whole milk until scalding hot then set it aside to cool until it is slightly warmer than body temperature.
Add the scalded milk, 1 ½ ounces honey and 1 ½ teaspoons table salt to the sponge. Stir to combine.
Add 7 ½ ounces whole wheat flour and another ½ cup of the bread flour. Stir until the batter looks like thick pancake batter. If using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook.
With the mixer running, add the rest of the bread flour, Knead until the dough gathers on the hook and clears the sides of the bowl, 4-5 minutes. If mixing by hand, add as much of the flour as you can in the bowl then finish kneading in the rest of the flour by hand.
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead to form a smooth ball. If the dough is very sticky sprinkle a little more flour as you knead.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat the dough. Cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise for about 1-1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan with a very light film of vegetable oil or with baking spray.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Without kneading out the air, gently push the dough to a 9"x12" rectangle. Tightly roll the dough from top to bottom to form a log shape. As you roll pinch the ends of the dough to form a tight roll.
Set the dough into the pan and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Set in a warm place and rise until the dough almost doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Use a sharp knife or razor to cut a ½" deep slash down the center of the loaf. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds.
Bake about 30-35 minutes until golden brown and the interior temp is about 200 °F.
Cool in the pan about 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature before slicing.

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

Nutrition