Whole Grain Wheat Bread

I finally tried my stand mixer yesterday!!  I have to say, I felt like I was cheating, like I wasn't really baking.  I didn't have to do any work :P  At the same time it was nice for it to be easy for once.  I made a loaf of whole grain wheat bread.  It's a recipe that came with my mixer.  Pretty simple.  And very good.  I realized yesterday morning that I didn't have enough whole wheat flour in the house for it.  But I had a whole bag of white whole wheat flour.  So I used that instead.  Still turned out fine.  And I followed their instructions for shaping a loaf of bread.  I had never done that before (roll out the dough, roll it up, tuck in ends).  That worked well too.  And I got to try my new french rolling pin.  Love it!  And Rebecca had fun helping with it too.  I only made a half recipe (1 loaf).

Whole Grain Wheat Bread

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, divided
2 cups warm water (105 - 115 deg. F)
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)
5 to 6 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
3/4 cup powdered milk
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup oil (I used canola)

Dissole 1 Tbsp. brown sugar in water in small bowl.  Add yeast and let mixture stand.

Place 4 cups flour, powdered milk, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and salt in mixer bowl.  Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer.  Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 15 seconds.  Continuing on Speed 2, gradually add yeast mixture and oil to flour mixture and mix about 1 1/2 min. longer.  Stop and scrape bowl if necessary.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2 min.  Knead on Speed 2 about 2 min. longer.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover.  Let rise in warm place, about 1 hour, until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down and divide in half.  Shape each half into a loaf.  Place in greased 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 in loaf pans.  Cover.  Let rise in warm place, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 400 deg. F for 15 min.  Reduce oven temp to 350 deg. F and bake 30 min. longer.  Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.