Easy No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread

Adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains
Makes 1 loaf

• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup orange juice or blend¹
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar²
• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) whole wheat flour
• 30 grams (about 1/4 cup) nonfat dry milk³
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp instant yeast⁴
• Optional addins/toppings: sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc.

Grease well a standard loaf pan (I use a 9x5, but an 8.5x4.5 is fine too) as this bread sticks.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for 3 - 4 minutes -- it will look like a batter, not a dough.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise for an hour -- but don't expect it to rise to the top of the pan⁵ or dome.

Preheat the oven to 350F during the last 20 minutes of rising. Uncover the pan and bake for 45 minutes, tenting with foil after 25 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Remove and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Notes:

1. We happen to have pineapple-orange in the fridge this week, so I used that. I'm curious to see what would happen with lime or lemon, since I always have that on hand. You can just use water if you don't have any juice on hand too.
2. The original calls for molasses. If you have that, try it. I plan to use honey on the next loaf.
3. Dry milk reconstitutes at a 1:4 ratio. To use regular liquid milk, warm 1 cup of milk and omit 1 cup of water along with the dry milk.
4. Instant yeast, how I love thee. Works better, faster and more consistently than active dry and needs no proofing. Just add it to the flour. If you are using active dry, increase the yeast to 2 1/2 tsp or one packet and proof in the warm water for 5 minutes.
5. My second loaf did manage it in an hour. It promptly collapsed in the oven, making a nice V-shape. For various values of nice. If it rises 2/3rds of the way, it's ready to go in the oven.