Honey Wheat Bread

When my kids were young a visit to Grandma's (my mom) meant entering a world of fresh-bread-scented-hugs. After a hug and a kiss my kids made a bee line for the kitchen. Whatever was cooling on the rack was fair game. Butter and homemade jam were in easy reach for instant gratification. At the end of our visit Mom sent any extra bread home with us.What a treat!
But didn't last very long. Soon my kids were fighting over the last slice. I hate fighting. I crave peace. I solved the problem by learning to make my own bread.
As a working mom of three I sometimes threw dinner together. I never felt bad about serving soup and sandwich for dinner if the sandwich was on homemade bread. It makes the best grilled cheese sandwich you have ever eaten. If you have a large enough mixer make a double batche and put the extra loaves in the freezer.
When I ask my grandkids what I can do for them, their answer is "Bake some bread!"
I've never written this recipe down. I would prefer to teach you in person. Since that's impossible here is my best effort.
Don't be afraid, this is not as complicated as it first appears. My KitchenAid does most of the work. (If you don't have one, I recommend saving up to buy one. You'll only need one. They last forever. The one I bought 30 years ago is still at work in my daughter's kitchen.) I can mix up the dough and have three loaves rising in a matter of 20 minutes. It takes another hour or so for them to double in size. An additional 30 minutes to bake. I allow two hours--start to finish.

Honey Wheat Bread

4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons of yeast
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 cup light olive oil
1 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 to 6 cups of bread flour

Measure the ingredients carefully. Unbleached flour can be used instead of bread flour. The bread flour is always the last ingredient to be added. Due the the way flour is milled, the humidity on the day you are baking, and the altitude, the last cup of flour cannot be calculated exactly; you may not need it all. Occasionally you may need more flour than the recipe suggests. Bread dough should be firm, but not hard to knead.

There aren't many ingredients to assemble.
I keep these on hand all the time.

Measure four cups of warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of yeast over the top,
add 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Your yeast should bubble-up as pictured. If it doesn't your water
may be too hot or your yeast is old. Throw it out and start over.
Better to know at the beginning than at the end.

Assemble your ingredients while the yeast is working.
1 cup of honey,

1 cup of olive oil,
1 Tablespoon salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
4-6 cups bread flour (or unbleached flour)

Add whole wheat flour to yeast mixture.

Add honey, salt and oil,

Beat in 4 cups of bread flour (or unbleached flour).

Add flour additional flour 1/2 cup at a time.

Until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

I use kneading gloves from this point on. They not only keep your hands clean, but help
avoid adding too much flour. You can buy them online or at a specialty kitchen store.
 If you live in Texas or Oklahoma you might find roping gloves that will do the trick. 

Flour gloves and work surface.

Turn dough out onto work surface.  

Knead in 1/2 to 1 cup of bread flour until dough is smooth and elastic
 (takes about 5 minutes). The dough should not be hard to knead.

When you are finished, it shouldn't stick to your touch.

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the dough into three equal pieces.

Shape into loaves, keeping the outside dough lightly floured 

Place in greased pan.

I use kitchen shears to cut three little slits.

The slits just make it pretty when baked.

Cover with a clean tea towel while dough is rising. Be careful to
set the loaves out of the way. My brother once rested
his forearm on a whole pan of rolls.

This recipe can also be used to make 20 large rolls,
26 medium rolls or 32 tea rolls.
I even use a large plastic cup to cut out hamburger buns.

Let rise until almost double in size.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes
Take the loaves our of the pans immediately and cool on a wire rack.
If you can, and it's not always easy, allow the loaves to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Keep the butter and jam close by!

Sadly, I got distracted by shower preparations and did not get a photograph of the finished product. So I leave you with this--