• 2 cups lukewarm whole milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 6 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
• 2-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp butter, unsalted

Mix honey and milk together. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Take a large bowl and mix flour and salt together.

Make a well in the flour and pour the milk and yeast mixture into it.

Mix to make a stiff dough.

Knead vigorously without adding any flour until the dough becomes soft and elastic. Use the second 1/2 of water for this. Dont add more water until really necessary. Now knead in butter bits until well incorporated.

Mostly by this time your hands would be screaming to come out of your shoulder sockets – so catch your breath and relax for 2 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and place in a clean bowl.

Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise. Takes about 2 hours.

Update : When I say rise, I dint mean that it would rise like how all-purpose flour with yeast does normally. It will puff up little. Try to make an indentation to the dough with your wet finger 1/2 inch deep. If the dough sighs or does not spring back then it is ready. I am used to working with wheat flour, hence failed to mention this piece of information.

Now knead it for few more minutes and let it rise again. Take just half the time than the previous.Now divide the dough into 2 and shape them into loaves/or any shapes you like. I made one and seeing me shape the bread,

the interest of my better half got piqued and so he shaped the other one.

The good looking one is mine though ;)

Bake them in a preheated 350F oven for 40 – 45 min or until done.

Cool it and then slice it.

We finished half of “his” loaf the very same day

for our evening tea
with some home made apricot preserve.

by Pak101.com (few years ago!) / 809 views