Sunflower Honey Whole-wheat Bread

 

Whisk together in mixing bowl:

1 1/4 cups HOT water (110 degrees works for me)

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup honey

Then add:

1/2 cup flour and whisk for 30 seconds

then 1 TBSP yeast and whisk for 30 seconds.

I let this sit for 5 – 10 minutes to make sure the yeast is fresh and active.

Add: flours(mix of white and whole-wheat) 1/2 cup at a time and mix together until it forms a ball around the dough hook of my mixer.  Add in 1/2 tablespoon of salt and flour as needed. At this point I threw in a handful of sunflower seeds.   Knead for 5+ minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Let rise in a clean, greased, covered bowl for about 30 minutes.  You can let it rise on the counter, but it will rise nicely in the oven.  Set your oven for 450 degrees for a minute or less then turn it off before placing the oven safe bowl inside.  When dough has risen, remove from oven and heat oven to 175 degree. Grease your bread pan and the counter with spray oil.  Roll the dough into a long oblong shape.  Kendry thought it was really funny that the dough popped!   You all know what he thought it sounded like ---!  Push all the air bubbles out is a very good thing so keep rolling until they are gone. 

Roll into a tight cylinder, tuck the ends under or squish them and place it in a greased bread pant.   Place loaf in warm oven (175 degrees) for about 1/2 hour or until the dough has risen to fill the pan.    Here it is ready for the second rise!

Now turn the oven up to 350 degrees and cook for about 30 minutes.  The bread is done when you hit the top and it sounds hollow.  Don’t worry about time as much as this indicator.  The bread isn’t done until you hear the hollow sound.  If you are worried that the crust is getting a little to brown, cover it lightly with a piece of foil.  Turn out on a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.  Smother the top of the loaf with butter if you dare!

 

“Drum roll ….Fan Fare…..and Ta Dah”, said the Little Red Hen!