Barley Wheat Bread

I was home last weekend, and this was the bread my dad selected. It had a really chewy texture and is possibly my best bread yet in my husband's opinion. It isn't my favorite, but to each their own.

Barley Wheat Bread
1 1/3 cups water
2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup barley flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. gluten
2 1/2 cups bread flour

Heat water until warm, between 105ºF and 115ºF. Pour into large, warmed bowl and add yeast. Let stand 5 minutes. Add honey, salt, barley flour, wheat flour, gluten and half the bread flour. Beat until smooth. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.

Slowly add the remaining bread flour, and beat until a soft, rough dough forms. Knead the dough with a dough hook until smooth and springy but still soft to the touch. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl and let dough rise one hour.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and punch down. Shape into two round loaves. Place loaves, smooth side up, onto the baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Brush loaf with beaten egg and sprinkle with sunflower seeds, if desired. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the loaves are golden and a wooden skewer inserted into loaf comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.