Makes four loaves. I use a 16 Q stainless steal mixing bowl and a wooden spoon, with additional appropriate liquid and dry measuring tools.
Ingredients
12 cups unbleached white flour + enough for kneading
6 cups lukewarm water
1 cup whole-ground flax seeds
1/2 cup oil + enough for bowl & pans
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons yeast
Directions
For the Sponge
- Pour 6 C lukewarm water in bowl
- Gently stir, with wooden spoon, 2 T yeast until dissolved
- Add 1/2 C brown sugar to yeast and water, stir until dissolved
- Add flour one cup at a time, gently stirring in clockwise rotation, until mixture is consistency of thick mud
- You will use about 6 cups of flour
- Beat 100 strokes until mostly smooth
- Cover with damp towel
Let rise for 60 minutes, or until double in size. To speed rising put in warm place, like on top of a warmed stove.
The Second Part
- Add edge of bowl: 2 1/2 T salt, 1 C flax, and 1/2 C oil
- Fold into mixture
- Add flour, one cup at a time, gently folding into itself until dough pulls away from bowl
- Begin kneading in bowl, ensuring hands are floured along with dough, still adding one cup at a time
- Once dough begins to look more like kneading dough and is less sticky, put on floured surface, preferably a wooden surface
- Pour about 1/2 T of oil into bottom of bowl once emptied of dough
- To knead, use both hands and pull rounded mound towards you, push out with your the heal of your hands, turn 1/4 turn clockwise, repeat until dough is smooth and not sticky
- You will have used another 6 cups of flour
- Round dough and put in oiled bowl, turn over so entire mound of dough has a thin cover of oil
- Cover with damp towel
Let rise for 50 minutes, or until doubled in size.
The Third Part
- Dough should be doubled in size
- Punch down
- Cover with damp towel
Let rise for 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.
The Fourth Part
- Pour dough onto floured surface
- Quickly knead back down to size
- Cut into fourths by scoring round
- Oil four bread pans
- Knead with one hand each loaf
- Roll into slight log, pinch bottom seam together, place in bread pan, repeat until all four are in their respective pans
- Spread dough out with backs of hands until dough touches each side, mold slightly
- Cover with damp towel
Let rise 20 minutes.
The Fifth Part
- Cut three 2-inch slits in each loaf
- Put in 350 degree oven
- Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and has a hollow knocking sound when the top is gently knocked
- Let cool for ten minutes
- Remove from pans and put on a dry towel, cover with another dry towel
- Enjoy!
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