February 2002

Mom's Bread

by Sandy Bonsib

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup dry milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, ¼ cup wheat germ, ¼ cup oat bran, 2 cups wheat bran, 1 cup soy flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 5 cups bread flour, and 6 cups regular flour. Stir to combine.

Add 4 eggs, warmed to room temperature, to the flour mixture.

In a saucepan, heat 1 cup margarine (2 sticks), 1 ½ cups milk, 1 ½ cups water, and ½ cup blackstrap molasses until margarine is melted, stirring occasionally. Cool, if necessary, until this mixture is only slightly warmer than your wrist. If it’s too warm, it will kill the yeast.

Dissolve ¼ cup dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in 1 ½ cups water, again slightly warmer than your wrist. Let it sit at least long enough for bubbles to appear.

Add liquid mixture and yeast mixture to the flour and egg mixture. Knead by hand for 5 minutes, adding bread flour as necessary. Form into a ball and place in a large, lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with a dry towel and let rise until doubled in size, usually 40 - 50 minutes. Punch down, divide into 6 portions, form loaves, and place each one in a bread pan. Let rise until the dough is about 1 ½ inches higher than the bread pan. Bake at 400 degrees on a single rack placed in the middle of the oven for 18 minutes. Remove bread immediately from pans and let cool completely. Store in sealed plastic bags. Freeze extra loaves if desired. And, of course, enjoy!

 

© Sandy Bonsib, 2002

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