You can knead by hand or use a machine. As always, I use a food processor and then do the final kneading by hand. Put the yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Mix to dissolve the yeast and let it proof for about 10 minutes, till it is frothy.

Put the proofed yeast mixture, oil, milk, salt and whole wheat flour in the bowl of the processor. Also add about 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and knead to a smooth and elastic dough. Add as much more of app-purpose flour as necessary to achieve this consistency.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for a couple of minutes more. Roll into a ball and place in a well oiled bowl, turning to coat well. Cover loosely and let it rise for about an hour and a half or till it has doubled in size.

Lightly flour your counter and turn the risen dough out on it. Lightly knead to degas the dough. If making into rolls, divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape into a smooth boule or rolls. Place on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely. Let the dough rise for about 20 minutes.

In the meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients for the topping. It should have a thick batter-like consistency that will spread easily and not drip off the dough. Let it sit while the shaped dough is rising. The topping should look “puffy” after this time.

Once the dough has risen, brush a generous (but not overly thick) layer of the topping over the bread (or bun/rolls), covering the top and sides well. Let it rise for another 20 minutes.

Bake the dough at 190C (375F) for about 25 minutes or till the bread is done and the crust is a deep brown. Let it cool completely on a rack.