Honey Whole-Wheat Bread

Ingredients

• 2 packages (5 teaspoons) of active dry yeast
• 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) skim milk, heated to warm (105-115 degrees F)
• 1 teaspoon of mild honey (not optional, it helps the yeast to grow so
• that your bread will not have the consistency of a brick.)
• 2 large eggs
• 5 cups whole-wheat flour (stone ground is best) + extra for kneading and
• topping the loaves.
• 1 cup old fashioned oats (not instant)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

By Hand: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk, and the honey, mix well and then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Using a wire whisk, stir in the eggs. Add the flour, oats, salt, and olive oil and stir with your hand or a wooden spoon until a rough mass forms. Using a plastic pastry scraper, scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it is smooth and elastic, dusting the work surface with only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, 5-7 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft free spot until it doubles in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Grease (spray with oil) two 9-by-5 inch (23-by-13 cm) loaf pans.
Punch down the dough and, using the pastry scraper, scrape it out onto a clean work surface. Cut it in half with a sharp knife or a bench scraper. For each half, evenly flatten the dough with the heel of your hand. Roll the bottom third up onto itself and seal it by pushing it gently with the heel of your hand. Continue rolling and sealing the dough until you have an oval log. Place the log, seam side down, in the prepared loaf pans. Press on them to flatten them evenly into the pans.
Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and let the loaves rise in a warm, draft-free spot until double in size, 45-60 minutes.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Dust the tops of the loaves with whole-wheat flour. Bake until they are honey brown and sound hollow when tapped on the top, 35-40 minutes. Be careful not to over bake this bread or it will be dry. Carefully remove the loaves from the pans and let cool completely on wire racks before slicing.