Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• Biga:
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
• ½ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• Soaker:
• 3 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 2 cups whole milk
• Dough:
• ¼ cup honey
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons rapid-rise yeast
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. For the Biga: Combine bread flour, water, and yeast in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a uniform mass forms and no dry flour remains. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight, 8-24 hours.
2. For the Soaker: Combine whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and milk in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy mass forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Return soaker to bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. For the Dough: Tear the soaker apart into 1 inch pieces and place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the biga, honey, salt, yeast, butter, and oil. Mix on low speed until a cohesive mass starts to form, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Turn the dough onto a floured counter and knead 1 minute.
4. Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature 45 minutes.
5. Gently press down on the center of the dough to deflate. Holding the edge of the dough with fingertips, fold the partially risen dough over itself by gently lifting and folding the edge toward the middle. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and fold again. Turn and fold 6 more times (8 folds total). Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
6. Adjust oven racks to the middle and lowest positions, place a baking stone on the middle rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
7. Transfer dough to a well-floured counter and divide into 2 pieces. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, pat each into an 8 x 17 inch rectangle with the short side facing you; roll the dough toward you into a firm cylinder, keeping the roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Turn the loaf seam side up and pinch it closed.
8. Place the loaf seam side down in the prepared pan, pressing gently into the corners. Repeat with the second ball of dough. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 60-90 minutes - the tops of the loaves should rise about 1 inch over the lip of the pans.
9. Place an empty loaf pan or other heatproof pan on the bottom oven rack and bring 2 cups water to a boil on the stovetop. Using a sharp serrated knife, make one ¼ inch deep slash lengthwise down the center of each loaf.
10. Pour the boiling water into the empty pan in the oven and set the loaves on the baking stone. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
11. Bake until the crust is dark brown and the internal temperature registers 200 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 40-50 minutes.
12. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pans, return to rack, and cool to room temperature.