Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons melted butter (yes, I used real butter)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon molasses (optional)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat germ, room temperature if you keep yours in the fridge
• 1 tablespoon yeast

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in the order listed into a bread machine. Use the dough setting and let the machine do all the kneading. My machine mixes everything, lets the dough rest, then rekneads, then rises. Takes about an hour and a half.

2. Once the machine beeps, punch the dough down and remove to a lightly floured surface. I lightly kneaded and then shaped into a loaf. Place in a greased bread pan and put someplace to rise for an hour. I used my oven and just didn't turn it on. Removed from the oven after an hour.

3. Heat oven to 325 and bake in the center of oven for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and rub a tablespoon of butter all over top crust. Allow to initially cool by placing pan on a rack. Then turn the pan on its side and the loaf will come right out (as long as you thoroughly greased the pan that is).

5. I was not able to let the loaf fully cool -- as I must have the end piece while still warm 🙂 My bread knife sliced it perfect and it held its shape anyways.