Honey-Wheat Bread

Yield: One 9-inch loaf (about 12 servings)
Time: 3½ to 4 hours, mostly unattended

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast or one ¼-ounce packet active dry yeast
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
Butter or oil for greasing the bowl and pan

1. Combine the flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Put the milk, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the butter melts. Turn off the heat and add 1 cup lukewarm water to the milk mixture to cool it to 100°F—about the same temperature as the inside of your wrist. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

2. Transfer the dough to surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour. Knead until it feels smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the surface. Grease a large bowl (it’s fine to use the same one you mixed the dough in), add the dough, and turn it over to coat it lightly with oil or butter. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. Punch down the dough, then form it into a loaf shape and transfer it to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, put it in a warm place, and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Uncover the pan and bake the loaf for 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan, then brush it all over the surface of the loaf. Continue baking until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it with the back of a spoon, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to continue cooling. Slice and serve warm. (Store leftover bread wrapped in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to a few days.)