Lady Redesdale's Bread

• 2 envelopes active dry yeast (not fast-rising)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour, plus extra for kneading
• 1 tablespoon salt

1. Place 1 cup of warm water (110 to 115 degrees) in a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast and sugar.
2. Let stand for 10 minutes, until very frothy.
3. Combine flours and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
4. Add yeast mixture and 1 1/2 cups more warm water.
5. Stir until dough forms.
6. Turn out onto work surface.
7. Knead dough for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic, sprinkling lightly with more bread flour if necessary while kneading to keep dough from sticking to the surface.
8. Butter a large bowl and place the dough in bowl.
9. Turn the dough over so the greased side is up.
10. Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
11. Butter two large loaf pans.
12. Punch down the dough, divide in half and place one half in each prepared pan.
13. Pat dough gently to cover the bottom of the pan.
14. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
15. Preheat oven to 400.
16. Remove plastic wrap and bake until browned on top and until bottoms sound hollow when tapped with finger, about 35 minutes.
17. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.

active dry yeast, sugar, wholewheat flour, bread flour, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11314 (may not work)