| 1 envelope
dry yeast 4 Tbsp lukewarm water 2 to 3 Tbsp brown sugar or honey 1 cup boiling water |
3 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp salt 3-1/2 cups unsifted whole wheat flour 1/2 tsp mace or sage (optional) |
| Put the yeast, lukewarm
water, and sweetening (brown sugar or honey) in a small bowl until it becomes frothy.
� Add the boiling water to the butter and salt and, when it becomes lukewarm, combine
it with the yeast mixture.� If the flour has been refrigerated, put in a large mixing
bowl with the spice (if used) and set in a dishpan of hot water to bring it to room
temperature. Pour the water-yeast mixture into the flour and beat it very hard.� As flours differ, a little more lukewarm water can be added to make a not-too-soft resilient dough.� Only experience gives one the "feel" of the way it should be -- so the bread won't dip in the center when baked (too much liquid) or won't be too dense (too much flour). � Beat the dough 2 or 3 minutes.� A hard rubber spatula is good for this. � Set the bowl in a dishpan of quite hot water, cover with a towel and, in an hour, the dough will rise almost double and be light. Even after this rising, if the dough seems very hard to beat, 2 Tbsp of warm water may bring it to a light and spongey consistency.� Beat it 3 minutes and place in an oiled regulation 3 x 5-1/4 x 9-1/4 inch bread pan.� Set in a pan of warm water, cover with a towel, and let rise for 45 minutes.� The second rising takes less time.� Dough should be rounding over the pan. Put it in a cold oven.� Set oven to 400 degrees to complete the rising.� Bake 15 minutes, then turn down the heat to 325 degrees and bake 35 minutes more.� Turn the bread out onto a bread board and cover loosely with a towel to cool.� If a softer crust is desired, place in a plastic bag as soon as it comes out of the pan. The mace or sage gives the bread a nice fragrance. � Milk gives a blander flavor; water does not take anything away from the flavor of the whole grain wheat. � |
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