Title: Whole Wheat Bread W/eggs
Categories: Bread
Yield: 3 Loaves
| 6 | c | Whole Wheat Bread Flour |
| 1 | tb | Salt |
| 2 | ts | Dry Yeast (1/4 oz) |
| 1/2 | c | Water, warm |
| 1/4 | c | Canola oil |
| 3 | tb | Honey |
| 4 | lg | Eggs, plus water to make |
| | | 2 3/4 cups |
| 1 | lg | Egg, for glazing |
: Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl and make a well in the
center.
: Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside to proof while
you mix the other liquids.
: Break the 4 eggs into a measuring cup and add enough water to make
2 3/4 cups of liquid. Add the oil and honey and beat until smooth. Add this
mixture and the yeast mixture to the well in the flour and stir together.
: Knead the dough until it is silky and supple. The dough should be
soft, but nor flabby. For the very best and highest bread, an efficient
kneader will require about 20 minutes to develop the dough to its
springiest.
: Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in a bowl;
cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half,
gently poke the center of the dough about 1/2 inch deep with your finger.
If the hole doesn't fill in at all, it is ready for the next step.
: Press flat, form into a smooth round, and let the dough rise once
more as before. The second rising will take half as much time as the first.
: Keep your eye on the dough, and don't let it go so long that it
sighs when you poke it. Egg-rich doughs like this benefit from a slightly
shorter rising time.
: After the second rise is done, shape your dough into 3 loaves and
place in your prepared pans. Allow them to rise again until almost doubled
in size. Brush the loaves with an egg wash made of one egg plus 2
tablespoons of water. Cover the whole exposed surface carefully, but don't
let the egg wash collect in the valleys. Now is the time to sprinkle the
loaves with sesame or poppy seeds if you like.
: Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Brush the
baked loaves with melted margarine or butter while still in pans and allow
to cool in pans for 3-5 minutes. Then cool on racks.