Amelia Thistle's Brown Bread
Makes three loaves. The recipe calls for three 6 x 9 x 3-inch loaf pans.
Ingredients
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unprocessed bran
2 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup Crisco™ shortening
2 packets dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
4 cups water (adjust for humidity)
Mix together brown flour, white flour, bran, and salt in a very large mixing bowl.
Rub in shortening.
Warm 3 3/4 cups water to 110 degrees. Reserve 1/4 cup heated water.
Mix together the yeast, the sugar, and the reserved 1/4 cup water.
Add the yeast mixture to the rest of the warmed water.
Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the yeast/water mixture into the well.
Mix together to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes.
Return dough to mixing bowl. Cut a large cross in the center of the dough.
Spray the dough's surface with cooking spray to keep it moist.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave it in a warm place to rise to twice its size, about 1 hour.
Knead the dough again, then divide it into three balls. Shape each ball into a large sausage.
Put each sausage of dough into a greased and floured 6 x 9 x 3-inch loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Allow the dough to rise again for 20-30 minutes, until the loaves reach the tops of the pans.
Place the pans on the center shelf of the oven, and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool on rack.
Serve well-buttered slices with cups of your favorite tea, preferably before a roaring fire,
during a thunderstorm. Although a snowstorm will work well, too.
Ingredients
5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unprocessed bran
2 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup Crisco™ shortening
2 packets dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
4 cups water (adjust for humidity)
Mix together brown flour, white flour, bran, and salt in a very large mixing bowl.
Rub in shortening.
Warm 3 3/4 cups water to 110 degrees. Reserve 1/4 cup heated water.
Mix together the yeast, the sugar, and the reserved 1/4 cup water.
Add the yeast mixture to the rest of the warmed water.
Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour the yeast/water mixture into the well.
Mix together to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes.
Return dough to mixing bowl. Cut a large cross in the center of the dough.
Spray the dough's surface with cooking spray to keep it moist.
Cover the bowl with a damp towel and leave it in a warm place to rise to twice its size, about 1 hour.
Knead the dough again, then divide it into three balls. Shape each ball into a large sausage.
Put each sausage of dough into a greased and floured 6 x 9 x 3-inch loaf pan.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Allow the dough to rise again for 20-30 minutes, until the loaves reach the tops of the pans.
Place the pans on the center shelf of the oven, and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool on rack.
Serve well-buttered slices with cups of your favorite tea, preferably before a roaring fire,
during a thunderstorm. Although a snowstorm will work well, too.
