>--- In LessIsMore@yahoogroups.com, Ross Cannon wrote: > Lis, can you post the recipe and instructions that you use for your > wholesome loaves of bread? At 11:14 PM 2003-11-17 -0000, Lis (binkbat) wrote {at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LessIsMore/message/12644 after signing-in}: -----------Currently I'm following instrructions from a novel. The main character went to find herself in a bakery in Seattle. I liked the book and the character and the bread instructions sounded worth a try. I kind of like them so far. The 3 big tips that were different from my normal bread baking 1.) Use half the yeast a recipe calls for 2.) Let rise slow and long in a cool place (boy was I thrilled to read that--all I seem to have are cool places) 3.) Don't add the salt until the final few minutes of the kneading (something about keeping the dough more pliable and easier to work) I cook and bake by feel (which is why I'm a better savory cook than a sweets cook) but bread is more forgiving than cake! I start with a coffee cup of warm water in my big bowl. I add enough flour to make a thick pancake batter along with a generous tsp yeast and a dollop of honey. I then beat the mix enough to see gluten strands begin to develop in the sponge. Let the sponge rise to double. Second stage. Add the flours to make a dough. Here is where creativity comes in. If rolled oats sound good, in goes a handful. Flax seeds, chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, bean mush (leftover from soymilk), cornmeal etc. I usually aim for about 1 part additives to 2 parts flour. Have to keep enough wheat flour to keep enough gluten for the rise. I knead until it feels right--5 minutes at the minimum but 10 is better. At the end of the knead cast the salt over the dough and finish kneading it in. Let rise to double in bowl. Take out and shape into loaf (I pat out flat to get all air bubbles out and then roll up firmly placing seam on the bottom) For sandwich bread I use a loaf pan. Let rise until desired size of final loaf. I have found with whole grain loaves, the denseness prevents that final little proof lighter loaves get in the first few minutes of baking? So I make sure it is the size I want before I put it into the oven. 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. This makes for a fairly soft crust for sandwich bread. To get a crisp chewy crust, I freeform the loaf on a baking sheet and start out with a higher oven temp for the first 15 minutes. Lis