In the bowl of a stand mixer add the warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to sit until bubbly, approximately 10 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl (yes all!) and mix to incorporate with the PADDLE attachment. I find the paddle is more efficient at incorporating that the hook into most home stand mixers. Once the ingredients are mixed and the flour has been hydrated, switch to the hook attachment and mix on medium until a smooth dough forms. Use the windowpane test to tell if the dough is ready to proof.
WINDOWPANE TEST: take a golf ball-sized portion of the dough from the mixer and gently start to pull the dough apart. I like to think of it as a square and gently pull on two sides, then rotate and repeat. If the dough tears instantly, it is definitely not ready. If it allows you to pull it thin enough to see light through it, then it is ready. There are different degrees of gluten development but with this dough, we want to develop gluten while maintaining as many nutrients and properties of the whole wheat flour. The longer you mix, the more heat is generated and the more of these properties are lost.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and then place in a warm spot. Allow to bulk proof until it is doubled, approximately an hour depending on the warmth of your place.
Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it in half. This will make two loaves weighing 500g each.
Preshape the dough into a round by folding all the edges into the center, flipping it over, and tightening it into a ball by pulling it towards you in both your hands. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
While your dough bench rests, prepare your loaf pans. I use a standard 9-inch loaf pan and spray it with cooking spray. Done!
It is time to final shape! We are going to shape these into a log (or a bâtard if you like fancy French terms for things). Take one of the rounds and flip it over. Grab the top and bottom edges and gently pull it into a small rectangle. Place it on the counter and fold the top edge down 2/3rd of the way and press it into the dough. Rotate so that the unfolded edge is now away from you and fold that edge down towards you to meet the bottom edge. Press to seal. Now we are going to do 2 thumb folds. Take the top edge with your right hand and fold it over your thumb about halfway down, pressing to seal as you go. Repeat until you have folded the entire length. You will notice the dough getting tighter and also longer. Keep in mind the length of your pan. You don’t want your dough to be longer than your pan. You can put it on the counter above your dough for reference if that makes it easier to judge the length. Repeat the thumb fold once more, sealing really well on the bottom. You should now have a log shape that is even in width along the whole length, that is the length of your pan, and tight enough to not slouch onto the counter. If the dough is too loose, repeat the thumb fold once more.
Place each log into the sprayed pan seam-side down. Cover with plastic wrap and place once more in your warm spot.
Allow to proof until the dough just starts to crest over the top of the pan, approximately 2-2.5 hours. When that happens preheat your oven to 350°F. As soon as it is preheated bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 185°F.
Allow cooling for 5-minutes in the pan then remove to a rack to cool completely. If they sit in the pan too long, they will steam and the sides and bottom will get soggy!
Slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
This will make two loaves weighing 500g each.To Freeze: Pre-slice, wrap VERY well in plastic wrap, place in gallon zip-top baggy and freeze. Remove as many slices as desired and toast (or microwave).I find that two loaves mixes better in home mixers, so I always make two at a time and freeze one. You can halve this recipe and make one loaf, but it might be difficult to develop the gluten in most stand mixers.