My 71th experiment: sweet wheat-rye bread

It's not often easy for me to stick with the basics. I love thrills and excitements. But then, whatever I feel, there is a place for the simple, basic staple food. Today I need to bake one such loaf, simply because we need it for sandwiches. My husband certainly has great appreciation over the simple. I adopt this from KAF's naturally sweet wheat bread. I have made some bread with mixed rye before. When rye is mixed with at least equal amount of wheat, its flavor is noticeable, but the loaf is not too difficult to handle, like pure rye bread. In this loaf, the ratio of rye : wheat : bread flour is 3/4 cup to 1+1/4 cups to 1+1/2 cups, totally 3.5 cups.

Recipe: sweet wheat-rye bread (1 large loaf)

Ingredients:
- 1+1/4 cups KAF whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup Hodgson Mill stone ground rye flour
- 1+1/2 cups KAF bread flour
- 2+1/2 tp active dry yeast
- 1+1/2 tp table salt
- 1+1/2 TB non-fat milk powder
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 cup + 2 TB warm water
- 2+1/2 TB olive oil
- 2+1/2 TB honey

Procedure:
1. Proof yeast in 2 TB water for 10 minutes.
2. Mix whole wheat flour, rye flour, bread flour, salt, milk powder thoroughly in a large bowl.
3. Add proofed yeast and orange juice to mixed flours. Then add about 1/2 cup water. Mix well to find a dough. Incrementally, add water in 2 TB at a time while kneading the dough to incorporate all the flour.
4. Give the dough 5-10 minutes of rest. Then rub in the honey. After the honey has integrated with the dough, rub in the oil.
5. Rub a little oil on the top of the dough. Allow it to rest on counter top until its volume is doubled.
6. Gently shape dough into a log. Place in greased pan. Allow to proof until volumes doubles again.
7. Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cover top with foil after the first 20 minutes.

Results:
1:48pm, ingredients to start with:

1:53pm, initial mix of dry ingredients with yeast:

2:22pm, ingredients mixed 25 minutes:

2:27pm, texture of the dough after the first 25 minutes:

2:32pm, lean dough formed:

2:40pm, texture of lean dough:

2:41pm, dough stretched:

2:45pm, 2+1/2 TB honey added to dough:

2:54pm, dough after adding honey:

2:56pm, dough with 2 TB oil:

3:01pm, texture of oiled dough:

3:08pm, final dough ready to rest:

3:34pm, dough rested 25 minutes:

4:11pm, dough rested 1 hour:

4:14pm, texture of dough after resting 1 hour:

4:16pm, shaping dough:

4:20pm, dough shaped into a log and to be proofed in pan rubbed with vegetable oil:

4:20pm, height of shaped dough:

4:53pm, dough rested 33 minutes:

4:53pm, height of dough after 33 minutes of rest:

4:54pm, baking started at 350F:

5:15pm, loaf baked 20 minutes, and then brushed with egg white:

5:15pm, loaf's height after 20 minutes of baking:

5:16pm, baking resumed at 350F:

5:35pm, loaf reaching 180F after 40 minutes:

5:35pm, thermometer coming out a little sticky after 40 minutes:

5:46pm, loaf baked 50 minutes, reaching 190F:

5:47pm, thermometer coming out clean:

5:47pm, loaf's edge in pan:

5:48pm, loaf's top in pan:

5:48pm, loaf's height:

5:49pm, loaf's top:

5:49pm, loaf's side:

5:50pm, loaf's bottom:

5:50pm, loaf's corner:

5:51pm, loaf's heel:

8:29pm, loaf cooled:

8:37pm, loaf yielding 18 slices:

8:37pm, a center-of-loaf slice:

8:38pm, a heel-of-loaf slice:

8:38pm, crust and crumb:

8:40pm, a bite:

8:43pm, to store sliced and frozen:

Observations:
1. The whole grain flours may require more water than 1 cup. Allow the dough ample time to hydrate.
2. This loaf is denser than I expect. The sweetness is not that distinctive.
3. I am able to slice this loaf into very thin slices. It holds together really well.