Ninety Minute Wheat Bread - perfect bread without the all-day commitment...

This is everything I like in a good wheat bread.  But it?s even better because it is:  1) light & fluffy, 2) has fine, even texture, and 3) it takes ninety minutes - start to finish.  I was hard pressed to find any downside to this recipe, but if I had to - it would be that it?s filling enough that I could only have one slice at a time.

When a reader told me about this recipe, I was skeptical.  Good wheat bread takes TIME (I thought), and you can?t hurry it along.  But, judging from her description - I decided it was worth a try.  

After tasting success, I tried to pinpoint what it was that made it work so well.  I?m not a food scientist, but here?s my amateur viewpoint.  I?ve never used olive oil in a bread recipe before, and I wasn?t excited about trying it.  (I get stuck in my same-old-recipe rut... anyone identify?)  

I have never used WET hands to work with dough before - and it worked really well.  This eliminated the need for using oil on my countertop to prevent sticking.

Then the proofing method made me nervous.  Everything I?ve proofed in my oven tends to have a really coarse texture.  It was wonderful not being tied to the house waiting for bread to rise all day.  And, as you can see - the texture was good.

I had my trusty tasting panel (all adults) try this for me yesterday, and it was all thumbs-up.  My family also thought it was a keeper.  I had a slice warm from the oven (wonderful), toasted (pretty amazing), and then reheated in the microwave with honey (outstanding!).  

Lately it seems that I make a new recipe friend every few days.  Fellow recipe lovers who SHARE - they make my day, over and over again.  It?s complicated to explain who shared this recipe with me.  So, to simplify - it?s my good friend (Naomi?s) sister - Charlene Jenson.  She has given me several fun recipes to try and I?m enjoying myself... Thanks Charlene.

For this fast-in-the-oven recipe, with photos & instructions - go to: