Whole Wheat Bread

This is a classic recipe for me. I love it fresh from the oven smothered in butter.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 -3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1/4ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 3⁄4 cups water
• 1⁄3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons butter or 3  tablespoons margarine or 3  tablespoons shortening
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
• 2  cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir water, brown sugar, butter, and salt just until warm (120˚ to 130˚) and butter almost melts.
2. Add water mixture to flour mixture.
3. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly.
4. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in whole wheat flour and as much of the remaining all-purpose flour as you can.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
7. Knead in enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic.
8. Shape dough into a ball.
9. Place into a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough.
10. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
11. Punch dough down.
12. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half.
13. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
14. Meanwhile, grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
15. Shape dough halves into loaves by patting or rolling.
16. To shape by patting, gently pat and pinch, tucking edges underneath. To shape by rolling, on a lightly floured surface roll each dough half into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Roll up each rectangle, starting from a short side.
17. Seal seams with your fingertips.
18. Place shaped dough halves in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (30 to 45 minutes).
19. Bake in a 375˚ oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning).
20. Immediately remove bread from pans.
21. Cool on wire racks.