I admit I got a little nostalgic when I walked down the bread aisle during my first trip through a Wyoming grocery store, and found the very same brand of bread I remember eating on and off during my childhood. I say on and off, because during the off times, we made our own bread. Oh, but I do have clear memories of the on times, when I would eat Standish Farms Honey Whole Grain bread, toasted and spread with butter, then sprinkled with crunchy cinnamon sugar.
Not that I would now think any store-bought bread is necessarily good. But, you know how it doesn't always have to taste good, or be good for you, as long as the memories of it are good? That alone can make you want some, toasted, with butter melted into every dip, and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top, some 20 years later.
But the boys weren't so sure. They weren't at all anxious to eat that bread. They weren't engulfed by my fog of nostalgia. To them, Standish Farms Honey Whole Grain is store-bought bread, and they were wantin' the real stuff.
The homemade kind. The kind they've grown up eating. The kind that is sure to, one day, put them into their own fog of wistful rememberances.
And, honestly? I couldn't wait to get the kitchen pulled together enough to start baking it again.
The homemade kind. For my guys.
And, for you? The recipe:
Honey Wheat Bread
First, you'll want to prep your yeast. In a bowl, measure 3 cups warm water (I use a water temperature that I can stand to put my hand in, but just barely), sprinkle into the water 1 1/2 tablespoons of active dry yeast. Stir lightly with a fork; set aside. In a few minutes the yeast will have activated and become a foamy layer on top of the water.
You'll begin making the dough by creating what is called a sponge. In the mixing bowl of a Kitchenaid, measure 1/3 cup oil (I use canola), 1/2 cup honey, 4 cups of whole wheat flour, and your activated yeast water. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment, and stir until combined. The sponge will be the consistency of thick pancake batter. Turn off the machine, and leave the sponge to rise until double in size. It will take about an hour, (but if you're in the middle of teaching school, just leave it until recess!)
When the sponge has risen, turn the machine on so the paddle can go around the bowl a couple times to deflate the sponge. Turn off and remove the paddle attachment. To the bowl, add 5-6 cups of all-purpose, unbleached flour (you'll have to experiment a bit with the flour amounts. I would begin by adding 5 cups at the beginning, then 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is the right consistency), and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt. Attach the dough hook to the mixer, and let the machine knead the dough (on low speed) for 5-10 minutes. You'll know that you've added enough flour when the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl during kneading. A dough with enough flour won't be sticky, but will be soft and pliable, and feel like a baby's bum.
Lightly butter your hands, and turn the dough out onto your countertop or breadboard. You shouldn't need to use flour, here, at all. Bring the edges of the dough together all around, pressing it toward the center, then turn the dough over. You should have formed a nice, round ball. With a sharp slicing knife, cut the dough in half with long, even strokes. Take one of the halves, form it into a round ball by bringing the edges in, pressing them toward the center, and turning it over, just as above. Now, with the palms of your hands, flatten the dough out into a rectangular shape that is the same length as your bread pan. Beginning at one of the long edges, roll the dough up from one side to the other, to form a loaf. Tuck the ends under, if needed. Make pretty gash marks across the top with a sharp knife, and place the loaf in a greased 4"x8" loaf pan. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Leave the dough to rise in the loaf pans for about 1 1/2 hours, or until it has risen and formed a nice crown above the tops of the pans. Bake the bread in a preheated 350F oven, for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pans for about 5 minutes, then remove it from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. Butter the tops, if you wish.
For a Honey White version, use all white flour. Or, if you'd like, you could experiment with adding nuts, seeds, oats, etc.
Yield: 2 loaves & lots of happy faces!
