Honey Whole-Wheat Bread from A Passion for Bread by Master Baker Lionel Vatinet

1. Measuring
Scale all of the ingredients. Using an instant-read thermometer, take the temperature of the water. It should read between 65 and 70 degrees F. Record it in your dough log.

2. Mixing and kneading
(These instructions are for using a hand mixer.)
Place the white and whole-wheat flours in a medium mixing bowl. Add the salt and yeast, making sure that they do not touch each other.
Add the honey to the water, stirring to blend well. This ensures that rather than sticking to the bowl, all of the honey will be incorporated into the water.
Pour half of the water-honey mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the flour mixture. Then, attach the dough hook to the mixer. Begin mixing on low speed (“1” on most mixers) and then immediately start to add the remaining water-honey mixture in a slow, steady stream. Continue on low speed for 5 minutes.
Taste the dough to see whether you have forgotten the salt. If so, add it now and mix for another minute.
Stop the mixer and move the dough hook out of the way. Using your bowl scraper, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that all of the ingredients are combined in the dough.
Return the dough to its original position Increase the speed to medium-low (“2” on most mixers) and mix until the dough is soft and smooth, with a most tacky surface, about 2 minutes.

3. First Fermentation
Using an instant-read thermometer, take the temperature of the dough. It should be between 72 and 80 degrees F. If it is not, immediately make the necessary adjustments (tips in the book – either ferment if the temp is too cool or place in the refrigerator if too warm). Record the temperature of the dough and the time you finished this step in the Dough Log, and the time the first fermentation should be completed. This dough will be in the first fermentation for 90 minutes, with a fold halfway through.
Lightly dust a large bowl (preferably glass to allow observation of the process) with flour. The bowl should be large enough to allow the dough to rise without coming in contact with the plastic wrap that will cover it. Transfer the dough to the bowl, smooth side up, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm, (75 to 80 degrees F) draft-free place for 45 minutes.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.
Uncover the dough and, using cupped hands, pat the dough into a thick square. Lift the right corners and fold them to the center of the square, lightly patting the seam down. Lift the left corners and fold them into the center of the square, again lightly patting the seam down. Repeat this process with the top[ two corners and then the bottom two corners, meeting in the middle of the square and lightly patting own the seams.
Lightly flour the bowl and return the dough to it, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and return to a warm (75 to 80 degrees F), draft-free place for an additional 45 minutes.

4. Dividing
There is just one loaf, so you skip to step 5

5. Shaping
Lightly butter the interior of a 10-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan. Add just enough flour to coat, holding the pan upside down and tapping the bottom to eliminate any excess. Set aside.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.
Uncover the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. If the dough is very sticky, lightly flour your hands, but do not add more flour to the dough. If the dough adheres to the table, use your bench scraper to life it, do not pull and stretch the dough.
Using a flat hand, lightly press down on the dough, forming a large rectangle. Then, using your hands, gently pick up the dough to make sure it’s not sticking to the work surface. if is is, lightly flour the surface. then carefully shape the dough into a batard. Transfer the loaf to the prepared pan, seam side down. Cover with a linen towel.

6. Final fermentation
Place the pan in a warm (75 to 80 degree F) draft-free place for 1 hour.
(* There are several ways to bake the bread to achieve the proper crust. With a loaf pan, you want to use a stainless steel bowl to cover and bake the bread.) About 30 minutes before you are ready to bake, move one oven rack to the lowest rung and remove the other. Place a large baking stone on the rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
To determine whether the dough is ready to be baked, uncover and gently make a small indentation in the center of the dough with your fingertip. If the indentation slowly and evenly disappears, the bread is ready to bake. If this does not happen, specific instructions are in the book, but start with an additional 15 minutes of fermentation.

7. Baking
For this particular bread, dust the top with flour. Working quickly and using a lame or single-edge razor blade, score the top of the loaf. Cut in quick, decisive slashes, marking into the dough no more than 1/8 inch.
Transfer the pan onto the center of the stone, taking care not to touch the hot surface.
Quickly cover with the stainless-steel mixing bowl. Immediately close the oven door. Bake for 10 minutes; then, lift the edge of the bowl with the tip of a small knife and use oven mitts to carefully remove the hot bowl. Continue to bake until the bread is chestnut-brown and sounds hollow when popped out of the pan and tapped on the bottom, about 30 minutes more. (It is a good idea to check after the bread has been baking for about 20 minutes to make sure it is browning evenly. If not rotate the bread.) If you are concerned about the bread’s doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer from the bottom of the bread into the center. If it reads 185 to 210 degrees F the bread is fully baked.
Transfer the loaf to a cooking rack and let it cool at least an hour before removing from the pan and cutting with a serrated life or wrapping for storage.