Homemade Honey Wheat Bread

In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast, and honey. Let it stand for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts to become foamy.

Add in salt, all of the wheat flour and 2 cups of the white flour. Using a wooden spoon or dough hook, mix the ingredients slowly until they just come together. 

Continue to add more white flour, a little bit at a time, while mixing until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.

Continue to knead in the mixer on medium speed or turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead by hand. Knead for about 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and bounces back when a finger is pressed into it. 

Spray the bowl used to mixed the dough with baking spray and place the kneaded dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let it sit in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Remove the cover from the bowl and punch down the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and stretch into a rectangle that is approximately 9 inches by 12 inches.

Starting on the shorter side, roll up the rectangle to create a loaf shape. 

Place the shaped dough into the prepared pan and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for a second time in a warm spot, until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

When the dough is almost done rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. It should also make a hollow thumping sound when tapped on. 

Remove the bread from the oven and rub the top of the loaf of bread with butter to make a softer crust.

Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.