Honey Molasses Sandwich Bread

Honey Molasses Sandwich Bread

Adapted From The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast

by Melissa Richardson

Yield 2 loaves

Ingredients

½ C Start (stir before measuring)

2 1/2 C lukewarm water (not highly chlorinated. 

Use bottled water or tap water that has set out for 24 hours.)

2 tsp salt

¼ C.  honey  (Scald with water and let cool if using raw honey or consider using raw sugar as raw honey will hinder yeast growth.)

¼ C. Molasses

7-8 C whole wheat bread flour.  (I get a better texture with a couple of cups high quality white flour)

The quantity and type of sweetener can be adjusted as needed.  If you are increasing the honey or molasses, be sure to increase your flour by about double the measured amount of the sweetener.

Setting up the Dough

(at least 10 hours before baking)

Combine start, water, salt, honey, molasses and 2 c flour in bowl of mixer

I like to use the mixer whip attachment and add enough flour till the mixture is smooth with no lumps.  

Change to the dough hook and continue to add flour until dough cleans the sides of your mixer bowl.  (There may be residual bits near the top, and here and there along the sides, but the lower half of the bowl should be clean.  Once the sides have been cleaned, allow the dough to knead for 10 minutes or until the dough can be stretched between your fingers and it thins in the center that you can almost see light through it.

You may need to hand work the dough on a slightly wet surface until all flour is worked in.

Put in a large greased bowl with greased plastic, wet towel or lid.  I like my Tupperware fix and mix for this. 

Leave out on counter for 6- 10 hours. Longer will not hurt.  If longer than 24 hours, refrigerate dough after initial sponge time.   Not too cool or too warm.  Just room temperature.

Shape into 2 loaves and set to rise.  I like to grease 4 loaf pans and put one inverted on top of the rising  loaf. This allows the dough to breathe without drying out.  It isn’t necessary to put in a warm place.  The more gradual rise will result in less hollow bubbles on the surface.  If you see a bubble forming, use a pair of clean scissors to break bubble. 

Allow loaves to rise for 2-3 hours until double or the dough slowly returns a gentle fingerprint.  Check for and break bubbles.

Preheat oven to 375’

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the bottom of the loaf reads at least 180 degrees.  You can also invert the loaf onto your gloved hand and thump the bottom of the loaf.  Listen for hollow sound.

Remove from pans and allow to cool completely before cutting if you can wait that long. Lol!