Whole wheat bread w/eggs

3 loaves

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
6 cups Whole Wheat Bread Flour
1 tablespoon Salt
2 teaspoons Dry Yeast (1/4 oz)
½ cup Water, warm
¼ cup Canola oil
3 tablespoons Honey
4 larges Eggs, plus water to make
2 3/4 cups
1 large Egg, for glazing

Directions

: Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl and make a well in the center.

: Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside to proof while you mix the other liquids.

: Break the 4 eggs into a measuring cup and add enough water to make 2¾ cups of liquid. Add the oil and honey and beat until smooth. Add this mixture and the yeast mixture to the well in the flour and stir together.

: Knead the dough until it is silky and supple. The dough should be soft, but nor flabby. For the very best and highest bread, an efficient kneader will require about 20 minutes to develop the dough to its springiest.

: Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in a bowl; cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about ½ inch deep with your finger. If the hole doesn't fill in at all, it is ready for the next step.

: Press flat, form into a smooth round, and let the dough rise once more as before. The second rising will take half as much time as the first.

: Keep your eye on the dough, and don't let it go so long that it sighs when you poke it. Egg-rich doughs like this benefit from a slightly shorter rising time.

: After the second rise is done, shape your dough into 3 loaves and place in your prepared pans. Allow them to rise again until almost doubled in size. Brush the loaves with an egg wash made of one egg plus 2 tablespoons of water. Cover the whole exposed surface carefully, but don't let the egg wash collect in the valleys. Now is the time to sprinkle the loaves with sesame or poppy seeds if you like.

: Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Brush the baked loaves with melted margarine or butter while still in pans and allow to cool in pans for 3-5 minutes. Then cool on racks.

Submitted By ELAINE PONCELET On 04-30-95

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