HEALTHY WHOLEWHEAT (ATTA) SOFT BREAD

I love bread, particularly soft, white bread, as a child, bread was a staple in the house and we used to substitute it regularly for chapatis or rice, not a very healthy habit though but you know some habits are so hard to kick! Even now I love to soak up the last of the gravy with a slice of bread, it's really one of the simple pleasures of life.
In an attempt to eat healthy I have however completely stopped buying white bread and have switched to Wholewheat/multigrain/brown bread instead, a long standing wish was, however to be able to bake my own bread, I did that today and have a delicious, fresh, soft homemade loaf sitting on the dinner table. Now I can indulge to my heart's content and really not feel guilty about it.
For 1 medium loaf you require-
Wholewheat flour (atta)- 250 gms
Milk-1/2 cup
Fresh curd/yogurt- 2 tbsp
Butter- 30 gms (diced)
Salt-1/2 tsp
Sugar-2 tsp
Fresh yeast-2 heaped tsp
Egg-1
Sesame/poppy seeds- for sprinkling over
Method-Combine milk and curd, add sugar heat till milk is lukewarm, stir in the yeast and wait for 10 minutes till frothy.Measure out flour in a large basin, rub in the butter so that it is like breadcrumbs, add salt.Break egg in a bowl and reserve little for egg wash, add rest to the milk mixture, now knead a dough by making a well in the center and adding the milk mixture, knead into a smooth dough.Oil a bowl and put the ball of dough, turning over so that the oil coats the ough, cover with cling film and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place till double in bulk.After an hour remove cling film and punch down dough, if you wish you can now shape and leave for second proofing and then bake.I however for lack of time, shaped dough into a simple braid and baked the dough immediately. Brush with reserved egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds, bake shaped dough in a preheated oven (200 C ) for 35-40 minutes or till golden on top.
The bread came out slightly crusty on top but wonderfully soft inside and the smell of baking bread filled the entire house, it was really a wonderful experience, one which I will be repeating as much as I can :).
This healthy wholewheat bread is on its way to the Wild yeast blog, check out all the yeasted goodies there!

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