KS Quotient

Super Easy: Short ingredient list, readily available ingredients. No hand-shaping.

A large, versatile, no-fuss loaf, this has a firm, springy interior, crusty exterior, and wonderfully light, pleasing wheat taste and aroma. It's a fine all-around bread, suitable for eating "as is," for toasting, and for making sandwiches. For a slightly "wheatier" and more nutritious bread, see the variation at right.

3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose white flour, plus more as needed

1 cup (5 ounces) whole wheat flour, plus 1 tablespoon for garnishing loaf top

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Generous 1¾ teaspoons table salt

¾ teaspoon instant, fast-rising, or bread machine yeast

3 tablespoons corn oil, plus extra for coating dough top and baking pan

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon ice water, plus more if needed

First Rise In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the white flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. In another bowl or measuring cup, whisk the oil into the water. Then vigorously stir the mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides and mixing until thoroughly blended. If too dry to mix together, add just enough more water to facilitate mixing, but don't over-moisten, as the dough should be stiff. If necessary, stir in enough more white flour to stiffen it. Brush or spray the top with oil. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours; if convenient, vigorously stir once during the rise.

Second Rise Vigorously stir the dough. If it is not stiff, stir in enough more white flour to yield a hard-to-stir dough. Using an oiled rubber spatula, gently lift and fold the dough in towards the center all the way around (this organizes the gluten for shaping the dough into a loaf). Invert it into a very well-greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Using an oiled rubber spatula or fingertips, smooth out the top and press the dough out into the pan. Brush or spray the dough top with oil. Evenly sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour. Using a well-oiled serrated knife or kitchen shears, make 3 to 4 evenly spaced diagonal ½-inch-deep slashes down the loaf. Cover the pan with nonstick spray—coated plastic wrap.

Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 1½-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 24 hours, then set out at room temperature. When the dough nears the plastic, remove it and continue the rise until the dough extends 1/8 inch above the pan rim or doubles from its deflated size.

Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F.

Baking Bake on the lower rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the loaf is well browned and crisp on top; as necessary cover with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes more, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few particles on the end (or until the center registers 208° to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 minutes longer to make sure the center is done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf onto a rack and cool thoroughly.

Serving and Storing

Serve warm, cool, or toasted; the bread slices best when cool. Cool thoroughly before storing in plastic or foil. Keeps at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. May be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

Variation

All-Purpose Whole Wheat Bread

Use 2 cups white flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour. If desired, add 1 tablespoon more sugar to balance the wheat flavor. Proceed exactly as directed in the original recipe.