Light Wheat Bread (BBA Challenge)

It's week #18 of The Bread Baker's Apprentice Challenge and we're finally incorporating some whole grains into our bread. I'm such a whole grains geek that all those prior weeks of using only white flour have left me clutching my Metamucil bottle as if my life depended on it, if you're picking up what I'm laying down. And although this week's light wheat bread recipe isn't 100% whole grain, as least it's a step in the right direction.

I used King Arthur's organic white whole wheat flour and Sir Lancelot high-gluten flour to make this bread. I found it interesting that once again because of the knowledge I've gained throughout this apprenticeship, I knew to add more water when my dough wasn't at the proper, slightly tacky stage. (I'm getting such a kick out of the science used in bread baking.... can you tell?)

I opted to make sandwich buns instead of a loaf this time and I'm happy to report that they turned out beautifully. The dough made eleven hamburger-size buns, a little under three ounces each.

After shaping them, I let them rest for a few minutes before flattening them slightly, then covering them with a linen cloth for their final rise.

I baked them at 350 degrees for 23 minutes then brushed them with butter right after removing them from the oven.

The end result was a delicious and light tasting bun and this has officially become my new go-to hamburger bun recipe. The kids won't have a clue that there are whole grains included and since I'm all about pulling the wool over their eyes, we're good to go.

Thanks again to Nicole at Pinch My Salt for taking on this endeavor and inviting the rest of us to join her.

Next week is marbled rye. I'm off to find that Seinfeld episode on YouTube!