Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 tablespoon Vital wheat Gluten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the yeast mixture
- 1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
- pinch of sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water
Instructions
- First lets get the yeast working. Add quarter cup of warm water plus a pinch of sugar to the yeast and leave it aside for 5 minutes so it becomes foamy. If it doesn’t foam, discard and start again with a fresh batch of yeast.
- Measure all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Do not pack the flour while measuring. Use the “scoop and sweep” method. Add in the vital wheat gluten and the salt. Set aside.
- Measure 1 1/3 cups of warm water in a bowl. Add in quarter cup of olive oil. Add in quarter cup of honey. There is a neat little trick I learned a long time back. By measuring oil first and measuring honey next, the honey will just slide into the bowl without sticking because of the coating of the grease.
- Now add in the water mixture and the yeast mixture.
- Mix until roughly combined. We are not trying to knead anything yet. Once combined, let it rest for 20 minutes. Letting it rest will hydrate the dough well and activate the gluten.
- Once the rest has been completed, knead for 4 minutes on medium speed. Finish kneading on the table by hand. Shape the loaf and let it rise in a bowl until nearly doubled.
- After the first rise, gently deflate the dough and shape it into a log.
- Place it in a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and cover the pan with a lightly greased plastic wrap. Allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours, till it’s crowned about 1 or 2 inches over the rim of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C for 20 minutes. Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan to cool.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American