I am posting the bread recipe that I blogged about a few days ago. One of my treasured commenters said she would like to see it and so I am doing it for her and others who like to bake REAL bread!!!!
It is a lot like good old recipes put out by cooks who do not always have the exact measurements for some ingredients. This recipe says in one place “Add enough white flour to make a good stiff dough” and that is a message for bread bakers who can “feel” when the dough is about the right consistency.
In a large “bread bowl”:
“ADLA’S SWEDISH RYE BREAD” (passed down thru generations)
1 1/2 cups rye flour (sifted)
1 cup sugar
1 TBS salt
Pour twp cups of boiling water over these ingredients and stir til smooth (I use a hand mixer)
When smooth add 3/4 cup molasses, 3/4 cup shortening ( use a cooking oil like canola oil) When the mix is cool enough (luke warm) add 2 pkgs of dry yeast dissolved in 3/4 cup of tepid water with 1 tbs of sugar added to the water. Let the yeast dissolve then add to bread mix. (WARNING: if you add yeast when the liquid is too warm you can kill the yeast and will have some form of Swedish “flat bread”!!!
Add 2 cups of scalded milk (cooled to luke warm ) or use about 3/4 cup of dry milk powder with 2 cups of luke warm water. Add 1 tbs fennel seed (whole fennel seed) and mix thoroughly til smooth.
Here comes the part I love! “Add enough all purpose white flour to make a very stiff dough. ” (I add one or two cups of sifted white flour at a time and stir it in; then I add more til the dough gets very stiff. About half way through adding enough flour you will began using your hands to work the dough; stirring becomes too difficult as it gets stiffer. Finally I put about 2 cups of flour on a pastry cloth and spread it around and dump the bread dough on the flour. Began to knead the last of the flour into the dough and you can “feel” when it is about right; it should not be sticky but it should not be too dry either. Practice “feeling” the living bread dough! I would say have at least ten cups of flour sifted and ready to use.
I use oil in the cleaned- out dough bowl and knead the bread dough til it is coated with oil (so as not to stick)
Make a nice round mound of bread dough and put it in the bread bowl and cover the whole thing with a clean non- terry dishtowel. Let it rise in a very warm place…I use a first floor bathroom and shut the door to keep the warmth in the room…I even bring a small electric heater in and turn it on to give added warmth. Because of the heavy nature of the dough it has a hard time rising without plenty of warmth. Let rise til it doubles in bulk. Then knead it down and let it rise a second time. After the second rising you are ready to make loaves. Grease your bread pans with crisco or lard…bottoms but not sides. Take a big enough portion of dough to make a good sized loaf. Divide the dough into about five loaf portions. I work the loaves on an oiled cookie sheet. The recipe should make about 5 loaves. Let loaves rise again in same warm room til they are doubled in bulk. Have oven heated to 375 degrees; bake risen loaves about 40 minutes and then turn them out (hot) on a pillow case or another cookie sheet (a big one) and let them cool before you wrap them up in plastic bags (save your veggie plastic bags from grocery store…they are just right for storing a loaf of bread.
This is unbelieveably tasty bread, esp. when it is warm…… butter is recommended over margerine!!!!!!!
It is also great toasted!!!!!
