Add the milk, sugar, and yeast to your mixing bowl. Mix and let the yeast activate. This takes about 5 minutes. To this, add in the remaining ingredients and mix it on medium speed for one minute.

Check the dough. You are looking for a dough that is slightly tacky (sticky), but not too tacky. It should feel just tacky to the touch. Add in more milk or flour as needed. My climate here in Idaho is very dry, so I require much less flour than someone in a humid climate.

Once the dough is a good consistency, turn the mixer on medium speed and mix for another 6 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover and let this rise for until it has doubled, mine generally take between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Form the dough into a boule, this can also be made into 2-8x4-inch loaves. Place the loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and let this rise until it has doubled.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees at the end of the rising time. Brush the loaf gently with egg wash, then sprinkle with whole wheat. Score the top carefully in an “X” shape.

Place in the preheated oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for another 25 minutes, then check the temperature- I always go by temperature for whole wheat breads. You are looking for 192-195 degrees. Mine took 35 minutes to bake at 350 degrees, but again, go by temperature.

Remove it from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will give it time for the starches to set.

The bread will stay nice and soft for up to 3 days at room temperature as long as it is wrapped well.