100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

I quit buying bread at the store a couple of weeks ago in favor of a more nutritious, homemade approach to satisfying our family's need for bread. I've played around with several different recipes, specifically "sandwich"-type recipes and found this one exceptionally good. It's soft and the orange juice makes it sweet but not orange-y. Let me know how you like it if you try it out.

(recipe via King Arthur Flour)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water*
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
• 3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 3 3/4 cups King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• *Use 2 tablespoons less water in summer (or in a humid environment), 2 tablespoons more in winter (or in a dry climate).

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 4 ounces lukewarm water*
• 4 ounces lukewarm milk
• 4 ounces orange juice
• 2 1/2 ounces melted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 ounces sugar
• 5/8 ounce nonfat dry milk
• 1 5/8 ounces instant mashed potato flakes
• 15 ounces King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• *Use 2 tablespoons less water in summer (or in a humid environment), 2 tablespoons more in winter (or in a dry climate).

Directions

1) Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, till it becomes puffy. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

2) Combine the yeast/water with the remaining ingredients, and mix and knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine—until you've made a cohesive dough. If you're using a stand mixer, knead at low speed for about 7 minutes. Note that 100% whole wheat dough will never become smooth and supple like dough made with all-purpose flour; it'll feel more like clay under your hands, and may appear a bit rough.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise till it's expanded and looks somewhat puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Note that dough kneaded in a bread machine will rise faster and higher than bread kneaded in a mixer, which in turn will rise faster and higher than one kneaded by hand. So if you're kneading by hand, you may want to let the dough rise longer than 90 minutes.

4) Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Gently shape the dough into a smooth log, and settle it into the pan, smooth side up.

5) Tent the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the loaf to rise till it's crowned over the rim of the pan by about 3/4", about 75 minutes. Don't let it rise too high; it'll continue to rise as it bakes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

6) Bake the bread for 10 minutes. Lightly tent it with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.

7) Run a stick of butter over the top of the hot loaf, if desired, for a softer crust. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.