Classic Wheat Bread

I make the dough for this classic wheat bread in my bread-maker and then bake it in the oven. I decided to take my classic old school bread recipe and convert it to be able to make the dough in my bread-maker. I am not a fan of actually baking in it nor am I a fan of actually working up a sweat kneading the dough. So this is the best of both worlds. This recipe makes 2 medium size loaves. Pre-measuring all ingredients helps avoid last minute mistakes.

INGREDIENTS: Place ingredients in this order in the bread-maker.·

• 1 1/3 cup warm water (105-115 F)

• 3 TBSP unsalted butter

• 1 TBSP sugar

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• 2 cups bread flour

• 2 cups whole wheat or multigrain bread flour

• 1 pkg active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)

• Pam spray (NOT for in the bread-maker)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in order in the bread-maker. Make a small well in the centre of the flour on top and place yeast there.

2. Choose the dough setting on your machine.

3. Warm oven slightly and then turn it off. Keep door closed. You will place the loaves inside to rise. If it’s too hot it will not end well. Trust me on this one.

4. Once the bread-maker cycle is done, place dough onto lightly floured surface and remove the mixing parts if they stayed in the dough. Which they always frigging do.

5. Cut the dough in half and place into two lightly sprayed bread pans roughly 8x4 inch size.

6. Lightly spray two pieces of saran wrap with pam and cover the pans. Place in the warm oven to rise until roughly double in size. (45-60 minutes).

7. Remove from oven and heat oven to 400F for roughly 15 minutes. Remove plastic and place loaves in oven on middle rack.

8. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until browned and hollow sounding when tapped.

9. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks until completely cooled. Do not slice for at least 15 minutes.