Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (Artisan No-Knead)

From "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois. Makes 3 1-1/2 pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 50 mins
• Yields: 3 1-1/2 pound loaves

Ingredients

• 3  cups  lukewarm water
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  granulated yeast (1-1/2 packets)
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄4 cup  rye flour
• 1⁄2 cup wheat germ
• 2 3⁄4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 3⁄4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Mix yeast, salt, honey and butter with the lukewarm water in a 5 quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup capacity food processor (with dough attachement), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with dough hook). If you're not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest a room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (or flattens on top); approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days.
5. On baking day, lightly grease a 9x4x3 nonstick loaf pan with a neutral-tasting oil. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-1/2 pound (canteloupe sized) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom and all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Form an elongated oval and place it in the prepared pan. Allow to rest for 1 hour and 40 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you are using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).
6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 400F, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
7. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.
8. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.