SPONGE, STEP 1
3 c Lukewarm water 1 c Dry milk powder
1 1/2 tb Dry yeast (2 paks) 4 c Whole wheat flour
1/4 c Honey
-STEP 2-
4 ts Salt 3 c Mixed whole wheat & plain
1 oz Olive oil – flours
1 oz Vegetable oil 1 c Plain flour, for kneading
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
Yields
2 loaves