Whole Wheat Bread

There is something so wonderful about the aroma of yeast bread baking, and then to cut into the bread and enjoy it spread with butter. Oh my goodness, this is surely the meaning of comfort food. If you have never attempted a yeast bread, I would encourage you to give this one a try. Yeast breads are very forgiving. By this I mean that unlike a pie crust, which can get very tough with handling, a yeast bread loves to be "beaten up". The kneading process is great for getting rid of frustrations, if done by hand rather than in a mixer.

Recipe:

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
2-3/4 cups water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour

1. Proof the yeast. Heat the water to 115-120 degrees in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Add 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and stir; let set while the yeast grows. The yeast will get bubbly and grow on the sugar if the yeast is good. If it does not, you have used old yeast, the water was either too cool and the yeast was not activated, or the water was too hot and the yeast was killed.
2. While the yeast is proofing, put 4 cups of the unbleached flour, the remaining sugar and the salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. When yeast is nice and bubbly add it to the mixing bowl along with the melted butter. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
4. If you have a large stand mixer such as a Kitchenaid, you can continue with your mixer. If you do not, you will have to use the good old-fashioned way and stir with a wooded spoon. Gradually add the 3 cups of whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix on the "kneading" speed for your mixer, usually #2. Knead until all the flour is incorporated. If the dough is falling off the dough hook, continue adding the unbleached flour, a bit at a time, until the dough becomes a ball and is no longer sticking to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer off, and check the dough by touching it. If it feels smooth and elastic, and does not feel sticky, it is ready to rise. (If you are mixing the dough with a wooden spoon, stir in the whole wheat flour and enough of the unbleached flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth and elastic, 10-12 minutes. You will be adding a little more flour as you work the flour into the bread dough by way of the kneading process.)
5. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. (This could take longer)
6. When dough is double in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, grease two 8-1/2"x4-1/2" loaf pans. Shape the dough into two loaves and place in the pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double, about 45 minutes.
8. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Check for browning at 25 minutes and cover with foil if the bread is already getting well browned.
9. At 35 minutes remove the loaves from the oven and check to see if they are done by "knocking" on the tops. If the loaves sound hollow they are done, if not continue to bake another 5 minutes and repeat testing. Remove the bread from the pans and cool on wire racks.

Tip: To aid the rising process, heat your oven for about 5 minutes on a very low setting. Turn off, and place the loaves in the oven. Some ovens have a proofing setting. The bread will rise much faster doing this.