The smell of baking bread is incredibly seductive. Try it and you’ll soon see.

Makes one large or two regular loaves.

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour, and set aside an additional half cup.
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1⁄4 cup toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups milk, scalded
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey

First, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the peanut butter and honey to the hot milk and stir to combine.

Cool the milk mixture to warm and pour into the dry ingredients. Knead for fifteen minutes, adding the extra flour if needed to make smooth and elastic dough. Oil the surface of the dough, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size; this usually takes ninety minutes. Punch it down and shape it into your desired loaf size. Cover and allow to rise again in a warm place.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for thirty minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when you rap on the bottom. This goes wonderfully with the next few recipes, too.