Step 1

Add all ingredients: 1¼ c water (255 g), 1¼ t salt (7 g), 3T honey (63 g), 2 T oil (25 gr), 1 T creamy peanut butter or sunflower seed butter (16 g), 3 T nonfat dry milk (21 g), 2 T Vital Wheat Gluten (15 g), 2⅞ c whole wheat flour (345 g), 2 t instant yeast (6 g) to the bread machine pan in the order listed.

Step 2

Select the DOUGH cycle, then START. Let the machine run for about 1 minute, then press the DOUGH button again to stop the action. All the ingredients should be wet. Use a small spatula to clean flour from the sides of the pan and mix it into the dough so no ingredients are dry.

Step 3

(All bread machines are different. With a Zojirushi, set the timer for 2:Then press START. The DOUGH cycle will automatically start in 30 minutes. With other machines, you may have to unplug the machine or restart the DOUGH cycle. If all else fails, let the dough sit in the machine and come back to manually restart it on the DOUGH cycle after 30 minutes.) The purpose of this rest is to let the whole wheat flour soak in the water to kickstart the gluten development and soften the flour.

Step 4

Check the dough at least twice by lifting the lid to take a peek. Do this right after the machine starts to mix to see if the paddles are correctly engaged and the dough is starting to form a ball.Recheck the consistency of the dough again 15-17 minutes into the DOUGH cycle.If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly. See the pictures above. Adding flour too hastily will result in dry bread.Conversely, if the dough is too dry (it should be tacky to touch), add one tablespoon of liquid at a time until the dough looks just right. Find out more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.

Step 5

When the rest period and the DOUGH cycle are finished, the dough should be doubled in size. If not, leave the dough in the bread machine until it is double the original size at the end of the kneading phase.

Step 6

Spray your counter or silicone mat with a small amount of water. Remove the dough onto your damp surface. Also, spray your hands with water as opposed to using flour to keep the dough from sticking. (Using flour or oil can cause tunnels inside of the finished whole wheat bread.)

Step 7

Using damp hands, press the dough into a rectangle shape. A bench knife helps to keep your hands out of the sticky dough. Use a cloth-covered rolling pin, if you have one, to roll over the top of the dough to make the rectangle a uniform thickness. Press out any large bubbles on the sides of the dough with your fingers or the rolling pin.

Step 8

Starting from the short end closest to you, begin to roll the dough to make a cylinder. Use a damp bench knife to scoot under the dough as you roll it to keep it from sticking. Avoid stretching the dough but make sure you aren't rolling big air pockets into the cylinder as you go. Pinch the seams together horizontally across the cylinder of dough. Turn the ends toward the seam and pinch them together, also.

Step 9

Use a damp bench knife and damp fingers to pick up the dough cylinder and place it seam-side down into a greased or parchment paper-lined 4½ x 8½-inch loaf pan or a 9x4x4-inch Pullman pan. Try to press the dough into a uniform shape inside the pan so the ends of the loaf don't dry out before the middle is done. Cover with a damp tea towel or a cheap shower cap and place in a warm (but not too warm) place to rise a final time.

Step 10

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Step 11

When the loaf has risen approximately 1-inch above the top edge of the 8½ x 4½-inch pan or approaches the top of the Pullman pan, place it onto the center rack of your hot oven for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 195˚ to 200˚F. (90-92˚C).

Step 12

Allow the loaf to sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove it to a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Swipe a little soft butter over the crust to lend an appetizing shine.