Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

We have started our 3rd week of social isolation and the monotony and boredom have definitely sank in. It’s strange that the more time I have on my hands, the less I get done. I started the quarantine with such lofty goals: home-school my children, finish a number of projects around the house, complete all deep spring-cleaning, bake lots of bread….however, as the days fade into one another my motivation has strangely evaporated. As my mother is want to say: “If you want something done, ask a busy person”. At least I accomplished making bread.

In part 3 of my 3-part series on bread, I am posting a rather involved recipe for a whole wheat loaf bread; a perfect every-day bread for sandwiches and toast. For easier breads, please check out the earlier posts. If you are looking for a challenge and have not lost all of your motivation, this is a great recipe.

This is the definition of a weekend project. It takes 2 day to make. In total it only requires perhaps an hour of your time, but that is spaced out over the course of the weekend. You will need to make the sponge and soaker the first day, and allow them to rest overnight. Once assembled, the bread still requires three rest/rise times. All of these resting times are needed to ensure that the bread properly rises and develops flavour.

If you do not have a stand mixer, you can knead the bread by hand. You should knead a few minutes longer than the recipe calls for. If you do not have a baking stone, you can use a sheet pan, turned upside down.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

America’s Test Kitchen

Makes 2 loaves

Sponge
2 cups (11 ounces) bread flour
1 cup water, heated to 110F
1/2 tsp instant or rapid yeast

Soaker
3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cups milk

Dough
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 tsp table salt

For the Sponge: Combine the flour, water, and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a uniform mass forms and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

For the Soaker: Combine the flour, wheat germ, and milk in a separate large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy mass forms, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the soaker to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up and up to 24 hours.

After the sponge and soaker have rested, tear the soaker apart into 1-inch pieces and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the sponge, butter, honey, yeast, oil and salt and mix on low speed until a cohesive mass starts to form, about 2 minute. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 8- 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand into a smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Gently press down on the center of the dough to deflate. Spray a rubber spatula or bowl scraper with non-stick cooking spray and fold the partially risen dough over itself by gently lifting and folding the edge of the dough towards the middle. Turn the bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Continue to do this a total of 8 times. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Grease two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and divide in half. Press one pieces of the dough into a 17 x 8 inch rectangle, with the short side facing you. Roll the dough towards you into a firm cylinder, keeping the roll taunt by tucking it under itself as you go. Turn the loaf seam side up and pinch it closed. Place the loaf seam side down in one of the prepared pans, pressing gently into the corners. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. over the loaves loosely with a kitchen towel or greased plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The top of the loaves should rise about 1 inch over the lip of the pan.

Thirty minutes before baking, adjust the oven racks to the middle and lowest positions, place a baking stone on the middle rack and place an empty loaf pain or other heatproof pain on the bottom rack. Heat the oven to 400F. Bring 2 cups of water to boil on the stove top.

Using a sharp serrated knife, make one 1/4 inch deep slash lengthwise down the center of each loaf. Working quickly, pour the boiling water into the empty loaf pan in the oven and set the loaves on the baking stone. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Bake until the crust is dark brown the the loaves register 200F on an instant-read thermometer, 35-45 minutes, rotating the loaves front to back and side to side halfway through baking. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans, return to the rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.