Whole wheat Bread

I tried couple of recipes and always had dense bread. This works best to me. Yo
Everything is slated so clearly here. The bread rises very well and taste is very good.

This is a recipe from King Arthur slightly modified to add more protein.

Ingredients
3/4 - 1* cup warm water
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup  molasses, or maple syrup
3 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten
3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt


How to make?

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it
begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or
in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.

2) Rising:

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 45 mins to an hour, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

3) Proofing:

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 45 mins to an hour or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4) Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.


5) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.


*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.

Tips!

* Using fresh ingredients is a key to a soft bread

* Measuring flours accuraltely is very important for yeast bread.  I learnt it in a hard way.  My suggestion is to a 1/2 cup measure to fill the 1 cup measure and vice verssa instead of taking the flour directly. 

* First add Vital wheat gluten to the 1 cup measure and fill the rest.

* Whey is a great alternate to water for a softer bread

* Dont forget the salt or Sugar, they are the key to activate the yeast (Sugar activates it and salt kind of combats it to keep the growth of yeast under control)

* When you are shaping the dough, keep the seam inside touching the pan bottom.