Here’s the deal: I make this bread a lot. I make it using plain unbleached flour, using a mix of rye and plain flours, and, as in this case, a mix of whole wheat and plain. I make it by ‘hand’ – well, using the bread thingy on my stand mixer to knead the dough – and, as in this particular case, I make it in the bread machine. 8 ingredients (and one of THEM is water!) and about ten minutes measuring and adding to the machine in the correct order, then you push a button and, a few hours later… bread! And such very, very, good bread, too…
INGREDIENTS
•1 tbsp olive oil
•1-1/3 cup water
•1-1/2 tsp honey
•1 tbsp sugar
•1/2 tsp salt
•2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 cup whole wheat flour
•2 tsp yeast
Pour the olive oil, water, and honey into the bottom of your bread machine pan.
Stir in the sugar and the salt.
Whisk the flours together in a bowl and add to the bread machine pan.
Sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour and set the machine for a 1-1/2 pound basic (white) loaf of bread – I go for medium crust. Update: feeling adventuresome? Set your machine for French bread.
Push start and get on with your life.
When the machine beeps, remove the bread pan and set aside to cool on a rack for five or ten minutes, then tip the loaf out of the pan and cool completely.
Or, slice and eat while still warm with a nice knob of butter.
One, pretty darned perfect loaf of bread, in my not-so-very-humble opinion.
Not a fan of wheat bread? Try substituting the whole wheat flour with rye, or just use 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose; it’s all good – and next to no effort.