[Sca-cooks] easy bread recipe?

[Adele de Maisieres]

OK, I managed to dig out my "White-ish Bread for Feasts" recipe.

This is basically an attempt to make a tasty, white-but-not-too-white 
bread suitable for serving at feasts. I don't think it's perfectly 
period, but it's better tasting and less bleached-flour-white than 
regular white bread and popular with feasters around here.

2c. water
30g solid fat (butter, marge, lard, vegetable shortening, suet, 
whatever-- I personally prefer lard)

1 sachet or 2-1/2tsp dry yeast
1/4c. warm water
1 tbsp barley malt syrup (you can get this in healthfood/organic/hippy 
shops, or be nice to someone who brews)

1 tsp salt
1/4-1/3c flaked wheat germ
3/4c stone ground whole wheat flour (I use stone ground durum wheat flour)
up to about 6 cups high-grade or strong white flour (for American 
readers, A.P. is fine)

Combine the water and fat and heat until the fat is melted. Cool to 
lukewarm.

Combine the yeast, 1/4c water, and malt syrup and let stand 5-10 
minutes. (makes kind of an ersatz ale barm)

Combine the water and fat mixture with the yeast, and stir in the salt, 
wheat germ, and whole wheat flour. Add white flour until you have a soft 
dough. Knead _thoroughly_ (~300 strokes, or until very springy and 
satiny). Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and let rise 
in a warm place until doubled in bulk (at least an hour-- maybe an hour 
and a half). Punch the dough down, turn it out of the bowl and knead it 
back a few strokes. Shape and place on greased baking trays. You can 
make about 2-1/2 doz very small rolls, 20 average rolls, or 8 very small 
(manchet) loaves. Cover and let rise for another 45 min or so. Bake at 
210C for rolls (about 10 min for very small, 15 min for larger), or 
20-25min at 200C for loaves. (These times are very rough estimates-- if 
they have a good brown crust and sound hollow when tapped, they're done.)

Note about yeast and larger quantities:  This recipe scales up well, but 
when I triple this recipe, I at most double the yeast.

-- 
Adele de Maisieres

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Habeo metrum - musicamque,
hominem meam. Expectat alium quid?
-Georgeus Gershwinus
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