100% Whole Wheat Grain Bread

I make this using King Arthur's White Whole Wheat flour (it's 100% whole grain wheat flour made with a hybrid white wheat instead of the red hard wheat, so it has all the nutrition but is not as dark or bitter). With the addition of 7-grain cereal it is hearty with a little crunch. Extra yeast, wheat gluten, and egg yolk (for lecithin) makes it soft and helps it rise nicely. Makes two loaves.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 2 Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups warm water (warm to touch not hot)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 1  tablespoon sugar (just enough to proof the yeast)
• 1⁄4 cup vital wheat gluten
• 2  egg yolks (the lecithin conditions the dough)
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  cup buttermilk (warmed)
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 5 1⁄2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1⁄2 cup  grain cereal (7-grain)

Directions

1. Place sugar and yeast in bowl with 1/2 the warmed water. Stir and let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. In bowl of stand mixer add: remaining water, gluten, egg yolks, honey, olive oil, buttermilk, 2 cups of the flour, 7 grain cereal, and proofed yeast.
3. Stir into batter, cover with towel, and let sit 30 minutes (will rise some).
4. Place bowl onto stand mixer, add salt, and remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time -- mixing with paddle attachment until dough pulls away from sides and forms ball around the paddle.
5. Scrape dough off paddle and replace with dough hook. Set on 2 and knead with dough hook x8 minutes. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled.
6. Remove dough and divide in half. Form each half into a loaf and place into greased standard size loaf pan - push dough into corners and sides to form to pan. Spritz with pan spray (preferably olive or canola), cover with towel and let rise until 1 - 2 inches above top of pan.
7. Place into pre-heated 350* oven and bake x30 minutes.
8. Remove from pans, brush lightly with butter using paper towel to remove excess so dough does not get soggy, and place on cooling rack to cool.
9. Cool at least 20-30 minutes before cutting (if you cut while really hot the crumb does not have time to set and will feel very heavy and sticky).