Wheat Bread (w/ preferment sponge)

Ingredients

Sponge

• 480g water
• 160g whole milk
• 14g active dry/instant yeast
• 520g whole wheat flour

Dough

• 126g honey
• 86g softened butter
• 9g lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
• 350g whole wheat flour
• 10g (8.5g if using salted butter) salt

Directions

Prepare the sponge

• Combine the water and milk. Warm to around 110 F
• Add yeast and flour
• Stir with spatula or spoon until a thick batter forms
• Cover and allow to double in size at room temperature (about 60-90 minutes)

Prepare the dough

• Mix in dough ingredients
• Use a stand mixer with a dough hook until well combined. Dough should be soft and a little sticky, but still manageable to kneed with lightly floured hands.
• Knead the dough, either by hand or using the mixer
• Lightly grease a bowl large enough for the dough to double in size. Roll the dough to coat all sides. Cover and allow to rise in a relatively warm environment (about 1.5-2 hours)

Prepare loaf pans

• Lightly grease 2 loaf pans, or line with parchment

Shape the dough

• Punch down the raised dough and divide in 2 portions
• With each piece:
  • Stretch out on lightly floured countertop
  • Fold each corner toward center
  • Flip dough over and do repeated pulls/drags toward you until it forms a roll about the width of the bread pan and seals the seam closed.
  • Place in prepared pan, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap
  • Allow to rise until it’s about 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan (about 45-60 minutes)
  • Preheat oven to 350 F

Bake

• Bake for 36-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
• Internal temperature when done is between 195-200 F

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Recipes