Whole Wheat Bread

3/4 to 1 cup lukewarm water*
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 cups 100% Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 Tbsp of the water in the recipe
1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hand, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. This dough should be soft, yest still firm enough to knead. Adjust the consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350.

Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190 on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lessesr amount in summer or a humid climate.

This recipe was found on the King Arthur Flour website.