Honey Wheat Bread

I found this recipe online a few months ago, I don't remember where now, but whoever posted it attributed it to Vegetarian Times Magazine. It is an easy recipe for a bread made with part whole wheat flour and part all purpose flour, which results in a tender crumb with the slight sweetness of honey. Its good for sandwiches and makes great toast for breakfast.

MAKES 1 LOAF DAIRY-FREE
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 [degrees] F to 115 [degrees] F)
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• IN SMALL BOWL, combine yeast and warm water. Stir gently and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• In large bowl, combine boiling water, honey, oil and salt. Stir until honey is dissolved, then let mixture stand until lukewarm. Using a wooden spoon, stir in whole-wheat flour until blended, then yeast mixture. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• Place dough in large oiled bowl, turning dough to coat. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Oil a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly, then flatten dough with both hands to remove any air pockets. Fold dough into a semicircle and using your palms, square off and flatten short ends. Position dough so long sides are horizontal. Starting from long side farthest away, fold dough toward you two or three times, each time sealing edge where dough meets by pressing with heel of your hand. Place dough in prepared pan. Cover loosely with towel or wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 [degrees] F. Bake bread until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from pan and set on wire rack to cool completely.

ALTERNATE METHOD:

• Skip the step of putting the yeast in warm water, you will do that later. In a large bowl, place boiling water, honey, oil and salt. Stir until honey is dissolved and ingredients are well mixed. Add wheat flour, stir until mixed. Add 2 cups of the all purpose flour, stir until mixed. The dough may seem a little dry at this point, but don't worry about it, just stir until all of the flour is soaked up.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature overnight (8-24 hours).
• THE NEXT DAY: Place yeast in warm water (105 to 115 degrees F). Stir gently and let stand until foamy. Mix yeast mixture with dough mixture. It will be soupy at this point and does not seem to mix very well with the dough. Add the remaining 1/2 cup all purpose flour 2 tablespoons at a time and stir to mix, until the dough holds together in a ball and comes away from the side of the bowl when stirring. Continue with kneading, rising, shaping, and baking as above. You may need to add more or less than a 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. The dough should be slightly tacky to the touch, but still easy to knead by hand.

The overnight soak helps make the wheat flour in the bread more easily digestible and results in a better textured bread. I always make it this way now, because its also easier, I think, than doing all the steps in one stretch of time.
PER SLICE: 127 CAL.; 3G PROT.; 2G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 25G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 201MG SOD.; 2G FIBER