Whole Wheat Honey Oatmeal Bread

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup water

1 cup milk (I used skim)

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

2 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread or all-purpose flour* (I used only bread flour)

1 cup rolled oats, plus more for topping loaf

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tablespoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine water and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; heat 30-45 seconds until warm (about 115 degrees F). Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add yeast and honey. Let sit 10 minutes until yeast is foamy.

Stir in flours, oats, butter and salt. Using a dough hook, knead on medium speed 6 minutes until dough is smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky (alternatively, knead by hand 10 to 15 minutes on a lightly floured surface). Keep dough in bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise in a warm place* 1 hour until doubled.

When dough is doubled, punch down and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Press into an 8-by-8-inch square, tuck in sides slightly and roll up into a log. Transfer to a lightly greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, seam-side down. Cover with a tea towel and let rise 30 to 40 minutes until dough reaches the edges of the pan.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F (375 degrees F if loaf pan is dark or nonstick). Sprinkle oats on top of risen loaf. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, rotating halfway through baking, until loaf is deep brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from loaf pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!