Whole Wheat Bread

submitted by Barb Duhrkoop
country of origin: USA

Ingredients
2 Tbsp dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp salt
1/4 cup warm water
4 cups milk
6 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses
6 Tbsp shortening
5 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
4 cups unbleached bread flour

Directions
Scald milk and cool to about 110 ̊F (45 ̊C), touchable but still hot. Dissolve first 3 ingredients in the 1/4 cup warm water, then add milk. Sift and stir in the 6 cups of unbleached flour, one cup at a time, until it falls in a smooth sheet from spoon. Cover and let stand for about 30-45 minutes (until bubbly). While this is standing mix the next 4 ingredients in a saucepan, heat just until the shortening melts, remove from heat and cool. When the dough is ready, add this mixture to it while stirring. When thoroughly mixed, then stir in the wheat germ and sift and stir in the whole wheat flour. Sift and stir in the rest of the flour, when it gets stiff you can turn it out onto a floured surface to knead in the rest of the flour. Knead about 10 minutes. Place dough in a large, greased bowl (turn to grease the top of the dough as well) and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until double in size (about 45-60 minutes). Punch it down and let it rise again until double. Punch it down and divide it into balls for loaves (number of loaves depends on pan size). Shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let them rise until top is almost at the top of the pan. Bake at 350 ̊F. When light brown on top (about 45 minutes) remove from oven and turn them out of the pans onto wire cooling racks, cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting or storing.

• preparation time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• makes: 5-6 loaves