Soft Wholemeal Bread

Wholemeal flour will turn rancid if left at room temperature for extended periods of time. Instead of buying wholemeal bread flour in bulk and also to save costs, I've decided to mix wheat germ and bran to the white bread flour to make wholemeal flour.  This way you can experiment and make adjustment to the ratio of flours, germ and bran.  Bear in mind that wholemeal flour absorb more liquid than plain flour, therefore it is necessary to use more water or milk in the dough.  Otherwise the bread will turn out like dense bricks!

Ingredients:  For 1 loaf of bread

Water-Roux or Tangzhong Dough:  Refer here on how to cook the water-roux
20g bread flour
100g water or milk

Main Dough:
245g bread flour
5g organic wheat bran
5g organic wheat germ
5g milk powder (optional)
10g chia seeds
25g caster sugar
5g salt
4g instant dried yeast
30g egg, lightly beaten
100g yogurt or milk
90g tangzhong dough
30g butter, cut into small pieces

• In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine all the main dough ingredients together, except butter. With the dough hook attached, mix until the dough comes together.
• Add in the butter gradually.  Continue mixing until dough is smooth, shiny and elastic; and passed the window pane test. 
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling wrap.  Let it rise until doubled in bulk.
• Punch down the dough to release trapped air.  Roll into a ball, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes to give the gluten a chance to relax which will help with the shaping of the loaf later.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle with the heels of your hands.  Roll up tightly like swiss rolls and place into a lightly greased loaf pan.  Cover with cling wrap and leave to rise until almost doubled.
• Slash the top of the dough with a razor blade and brush with egg wash.
• Bake in a preheated oven of 175°C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.