Soft Two-and-a-Half-Hour Whole Wheat Bread

Oh, I wish you could taste this warm bread right now!  This is a soft bread made from mostly whole wheat flour but some regular white flour, too.  We ate it warm with jam and butter, but my son also had it with soup, which was just perfect.

SOFT TWO-AND-A-HALF-HOUR WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

PREP TIME:  less than 2 hours (off and on)
COOK TIME:  30-40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 2 1/2 c. warm water
• 3 Tbsp. instant potatoes
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt
• equivalent 1 egg*
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 - 2 1/2 c. white flour

DIRECTIONS

Place yeast in a large mixing bowl with water.  Add instant potatoes, oil, honey, salt, and (egg or) egg equivalent.  Mix for one minute, then add the whole wheat flour.  Using a dough hook with possible, mix the dough together until is it a sponge-like consistency.  Gradually add white flour as needed to make a soft dough.  Knead for several minutes with the dough hook or by hand if necessary.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size.  Punch down and divide the dough in two.  Spray two 8x5 loaf pans with cooking spray.  Shape dough into two loaves and place one in each pan.  Cover and let rise again until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

* If you have an egg, go ahead and use it, but for the pantry-friendly version you can use the equivalent of one egg from a freeze-dried egg mix or substitute 3 Tbsp. of mayonnaise.  Another replacement for one egg is a packet of unflavored gelatin mixed with 1 Tbsp. cold water and 2 Tbsp. boiling water.  

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