'Fool Proof' Simple Loaf Bread

1 ½ cups warm water, 100-110 degrees
1 Tablespoon oil, olive, canola, safflower or sunflower
¼ cup sugar, or honey or sucanant
3 ½ cups flour, combination of whole wheat and white
1 1/2 white & 2 cups whole wheat
¼ cup gluten
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsps yeast
For Bread Machine - put ingredients in in order given and set to 'Dough Setting' - now go fold clothes, vacuum and clean the shower (o:

By Hand or with Mixer/Dough Hook - Mix all the water, oil, sweet stuff together in your mixing bowl. Proof your yeast in the whole liquid if you want to. Instant yeast does not HAVE to be proofed (let get bubbly) but it won't hurt it if you do. In a separate bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (flours, gluten, salt and yeast if you didn't proof it)

Slowly add dry to the liquid stirring until too hard to use a spoon, then start the hand kneading process (or if in the kitchen aid - start the dough hooks, or if in the Bosch Mixer...follow directions for kneading)

Knead (by hand, by hook or by Bosch ) minimum 10 minutes - up to 15 minutes - until dough feels elastic and looks silky-like (or in Bosch Mixer - it pulls away from the sides) Cover bowl with a clean cloth towel.

Let dough rise once in the bowl in semi warm place approximately 30 minutes or until double the size it started.

LIGHTLY punch it down to get all the air out after it rose the first time. (All above steps are done on 'Dough Setting' of your bread machine) Turn out onto AN OILED (not floured - it makes it heavy and dense) surface to REST for 5-10 minutes (this helps the gluten that has formed to relax a bit and not 'crack' the crust)

Now form your loaf by flattening by hand, and rolling up like a 'jelly roll' and after tucking ends in and seam side down, place it into a greased loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise in a semi-warm place another 30 minutes. Last 10 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 18-22 minutes in center of the oven. Start checking for golden tops and 'hollow' sound when top is tapped at about 18 minutes.

Source
Millers Grain House