WHOLE WHEAT BREAD FROM « BAKING WITH JULIA »

Steps:

• Pour ½ cup of water into the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the yeast and honey. Whisk to blend and allow the mixture to rest until the yeast is creamy, about 5 minutes. Combine flours. Add the remaining 1¾ cups water, the oil, malt extract and about half of the flour mixture to the yeast. Turn the mixer on low to mix the flour and mixing on low add the rest of the flour. Increase the speed to medium beat until the dough comes together. Add up to 2 tb more flour if the dough does not come together. Add the salt and continue to beat and knead at medium speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also mix the dough in the machine for half that time and knead by hand on the lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be a tad sticky even after proper and sufficient kneading. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Place in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough around to cover with oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest at room temperature until it doubles, about 1 ½ hours. Oil or butter two loaf pans (8 ½ by 4 ½). Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half and shape each part into a rectangle to fit into the loaf pans. Cover the pans with an oiled plastic wrap and allow them to rise at room temperature until they double in size growing over the tops of the pans, about 1 hour. While the breads rise, centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 F. When the breads are fully risen bake for about 35 minutes, or until they are golden. You should get a hollow sound when you rap the bottom of pan. Remove the loaves from their pans as soon as they come from the oven and cool the breads on racks.