Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread

My new go-to recipe for sandwich bread.  My little guy has been taking P&J's to preschool made with this delicious bread and he loves it!  We've also enjoyed grilled cheese sandwiches on this bread and eggs on toast, yum.  Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups all purpose flour

Pour warm water over brown sugar in mixing bowl of your stand mixer.  Sprinkle yeast over the top and allow to sit 10 minutes until frothy.  Turn mixer to stir speed and pour in evaporated milk, water, melted butter, and honey.   DO NOT ADD SALT YET!! (Details in a minute).  Add whole wheat flour and all purpose flour 1/2 cup at a time on stir speed.  Once combined turn to speed 2 and knead 8 minutes.  Cover mixing bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 15 minutes.

Here's the part about the salt:  My latest bread trick!  I recently read this post on the Farmgirl Fare blog and the best thing I took away from it was the bit about adding salt after the autolyse.  The autolyse is a resting period given to dough during the kneading stage.  As explained on Farmgirl Fare, salt inhibits gluten development and causes it to tighten.  For this reason the bread should be allowed 15-20 minutes to rest and allow the gluten to develop before the salt is added.

After the 15 minute resting period add kosher salt and knead another 2 minutes on speed 2.  Grease the mixing bowl with butter and turn dough to coat.  Cover mixing bowl with tea towel again and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes.

Turn dough out onto floured surface and divide into two loaves.  Place in buttered, floured bread pans, sprinkle with flour and allow to rise under tea towels for 30 minutes more.

Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Place risen loaves in oven and bake for 30 minutes.