Nice Texture -- Whole Wheat Bread

Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup non-fat powdered milk
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 tablespoon malt syrup or 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (400 gms)
• 1/2 cup bread flour (80 gms)
• 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1/2 g vitamin c powder (crush 1 500mg tablet)
• 1/2 cup oat bran or 1/2 cup ground oats or 1/2 cup wheat germ (any whole grain will work)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
• olive oil, for bowl and pan
• egg yolks or milk, to brush on loaf

Recipe

• 1 whisk the cold water, dry milk and sweetner in a small sauce pan, heat until just below simmering and keep there for about 1 minute.
• 2 cool to 120 degrees.
• 3 mix flours, gluten, vitamin c and yeast in the bowl of your mixer, run on slow speed for 30 seconds to blend.
• 4 pour cooled liquid into dry ingredients and blend for about 4 minutes on medium speed to aeriate the mixture.
• 5 the mixture should be somewhat wet, like a loose cake batter.
• 6 remove beater and allow sponge to sit for 1 to 2 1/2 hours for the flavor to develop.
• 7 mix will be partially risen.
• 8 reinstall beater and beat in additional whole grains until the mixture starts to form a dough and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• 9 it may take more or less than the 1/2 cup.
• 10 stop mixer and install bread hook.
• 11 knead until a smooth ball forms and starts to develop some elasticity.
• 12 add salt and garlic powder and knead another minute to combine.
• 13 turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead by hand for a few minutes to finish.
• 14 form dough into a tight ball and place in a large, oiled bowl, toss a couple times to coat.
• 15 cover tightly with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place to rise, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 16 punch down dough in center then pull from sides and fold over.
• 17 turn out onto counter, form into a ball and let rest covered for 15 minutes.
• 18 lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan with olive oil, place dough in pan seam side down and brush with yolk or milk (1/2 n 1/2 works fine too) cover and allow to rise until about doubled (maybe an hour).
• 19 30 minutes into the second rise place your baking stone on the lower middle rack, place an empty rack in the lowest slot and preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• 20 after bread has risen, put a shallow pan with about 1/2" of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
• 21 lower temperature to 375 degrees f.
• 22 and wait a few minutes.
• 23 immediatley before placing loaf in oven brush with egg or milk a second time.
• 24 bake loaf in pan on stone for 45-55 minutes.
• 25 loaf will be golden brown, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
• 26 it should read 200 degrees f.
• 27 when tested with a meat thermomameter.