Swirled Honey Wheat Bread

I created this bread recipe about 20 years ago - for my Newlywed Cookbook. It's super simple to prepare, as long as you're patient! You must wait for TWO separate risings, but trust me, there's nothing better than fresh bread from your own oven! 

For this version, I added a little cinnamon swirl in the middle. If you want to keep the bread more savory, simply leave the cinnamon out (or used a little dusting of freshly ground black pepper; that would be awesome). 

Note: If you don't have a mixer with a dough hook attachment, simply blend all the ingredients together with your hands (after the yeast/milk step) and knead for 5 minutes (instead of 2).

Swirled Honey Wheat Bread

1 1/4 cups warm milk (warm in the microwave or small saucepan - it should be about 110 degrees, warm, not boiling)
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
3-3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Olive oil (for greasing the bowl, work surface and baking pan)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place the warm milk in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let stand 5 minutes. 
Add the honey, butter and salt and swirl the bowl to combine everything. Add 3 cups of the flour and, using the dough hook attachment of your mixer, mix until blended, adding more flour (a little bit at a time) if the mixture seems too wet. 
Mix with the dough hook, on medium speed, for 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. 
Coat the inside of a large bowl with olive oil, add the dough and turn to coat all sides with the oil. 
Cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place, free from any drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. 
Punch the dough down with your fist and transfer it to a lightly oiled surface (I don't like to use floured surfaces because I think it dries the bread out). 
Roll the dough out into an 8x12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the dough.
Starting from the shorter end, roll the dough up tightly, as if rolling a jellyroll. 
Transfer the loaf to an 8-inch loaf pan that's been coated with olive oil. 
Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes (again, in a warm place without drafts). 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the loaf has pulled away from the sides of the pan slightly. 
Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing. 

Makes 1 loaf