| 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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