Good bread, a basic yeast bread

2 loaves

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
3 cups Lukewarm water
1½ tablespoon Dry yeast (2 paks)
¼ cup Honey
4 teaspoons Salt
1 ounce Olive oil
1 ounce Vegetable oil
1 cup Dry milk powder
4 cups Whole wheat flour
3 cups Mixed whole wheat & plain flours
1 cup Plain flour, for kneading

Directions

SPONGE, STEP 1

STEP 2

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Stir in the honey and dry milk powder. Stir in 4 cups of the flour to form a very thick batter. Beat well with a large spoon, 100 strokes. Let rise for 45 mins. Fold in the salt and the oils. Fold in an additional 3 cups of the flour, the dough should form a large ball and come away from the sides of the bowl very easily at this stage. Knead this for 10 mins. on a floored board, use the 1 cup of flour reserved for kneading to keep the dough from sticking. The dough takes on a smooth elastic like texture when it is kneaded properly. Let this rise for 50 mins. or until double in bulk. Punch down and allow to rise again for 50 mins.or almost doubled in size. Shape into loaves and place in pregreased bread pans. Turn on the oven for preheating, 350oF. Let the dough rise in the pans while the over is preheating 25 mins. is plenty of time.

Brush the tops of the loaves with an egg wash (1 egg well beaten and 2 tbs. of warm water) Bake for 1 hour or till golden brown on top.

Bread will have a hollow sound when thumped. Remove from pans and let cool & wrap for use later or wait 20 mins. & slice for serving hot.

Notes: Other sweetners can be added for different taste, coloring: molassas, or brown sugar

You can add other flours to the recipe, use them in the second step.

Barley is a wonderful addition and makes the bread golden yellow on the inside, soy could be added for a protein boast, or rice flour for a slightly flaker crumble.

Part of the water can be substituted with eggs, sour cream, mashed bananas or mashed potatoes. I've tried eggs and potatoes with very good results.

For a quicker rise and slightly lighter bread add another packet of dry yeast to the sponge. Good if you don't have the whole morning to do your breads.

I started out with sponge type breads after reading Tassajara Bread Book way back in the 70's. With the sponge, I have never made a totally displeasing loaf. Some are better than others, I really jumbled up the flours when the cupboard was fairly bare a few times, the taste was unfamiliar, but not displeasing. I taught how to make this bread for five years at Free Schools and Community Schools. No one produced a doorstop. It isn't a glamour bread, just good, basic daily bread.

Put into MM format Oct. 1994 Reposted by Joell Abbott 1/95 Submitted By JOELL ABBOTT On 01-27-95

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