Whole Wheat Yogurt Bread

"The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight."

~M.F.K. Fisher

I love making bread. 

Have I said that before?

I'm certain I have. But this is something that needs regular reiteration. 

I bake a lot of bread. I have ever since I was just a wee little baker and would watch Jukies (that's Julia Carolyn Child to you!) make bread on the black and white television in the living room and try to replicate it in mom's kitchen. (I had an incredibly patient family that would eat - or pretend to eat - pretty much anything I created in the kitchen.) I have a love affair with the tactile and olfactory qualities of making bread. But honestly, I won't belabour that here because I have already done so here, here, here, and here.

One of the joys of baking for a long time is being able to bake not from a book or some established recipe, but rather from a synthesis of experience, from the knowledge of what will give you a particular flavour, texture, quality of crust, or colour and creating something that is delightful.

This recipe is certainly no one-of-a-kind wonder. You can most surely find similar recipes in a thousand online posts. But it is mine, combining my favourite qualities of texture and flavour. The whole wheat flour gives it a special texture and colour. The white flour lets the bread rise higher than a 100% whole wheat bread and produces a lighter loaf. The honey give it a kiss of sweetness while the yogurt gives it a touch of tart almost reminiscent of a light sourdough.

And at home it is a favourite.

I hope you enjoy it, both in the making and the eating!

Whole Wheat Yogurt Bread
3/4 cup warm water
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour, finely milled
4 cups white flour
2 tsp salt
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 1/3 cup hot water
4 Tbs oil
3 Tbs honey

Dissolve the yeast in the 3/4 cup of warm (105º to 115º F) water in a warmed glass or ceramic container. Make certain the yeast is completely dissolved and there are no clumps. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix, fluffing them with air.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and hot (about 130º F) water. Add the oil and honey. Mix well.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the dissolved yeast and the wet ingredients. Stir from the center of the well gradually outward until you have a thick batter-like consistency. Start folding in flour from the sides and mix until all the flour is combined. The dough will be a little sticky.

Turn out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead for about 20 minutes. That may sound like a lot, but remember that kneading is the difference between good bread and spectacular bread.

How do you know when bread is sufficiently kneaded? The dough will lose its tackiness and become smooth and springy. You want the dough to be silky smooth. As it is almost impossible to over-knead bread, it is better to knead too much than not enough.

Form the dough into a smooth round and place it seam down in a bowl. Lightly cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel (making certain the bowl is large enough to allow for a doubling or tripling of the dough as it rises without it hitting the cover) and let it rise in a warm place (ideally 80º F) for about an hour and half.

When the first rising is complete, gently place your fist into the center of the dough and press down, deflating it. Gentle peel away the dough from the sides of the bowl and fold it under itself all around the edge until you have a round ball again. Cover the bowl and let it rise again, this time about 45 minutes.

Once again you want to deflate and re-round the dough. Let it rest for a few minutes.

Divide the dough in two and shape each piece into a loaf. Place the loaves in buttered loaf pans and let them proof (the third rising) for about half an hour. You'll want to keep a close eye on this third rising because it can easily get away from you and over rise. About half-way through the proof you want to adjust your oven racks so the loaves will be as nearly in the middle of the oven as possible and start preheating the oven to 350º F so it will be hot when the loaves are ready.

When the loaves have risen and the oven is hot, place the loaves as close to the center of the oven as possible. Bake at 350º F for one hour. The crust should be a rich, deep golden brown when it is done.

And finally, ENJOY!