This is a county fair blue ribbon winning loaf - it is delicate and soft.
- Carbohydrate 334.475064044655 g
- Cholesterol 44.8391250251999 mg
- Fat 44.5829206689915 g
- Fiber 22.2604264026265 g
- Protein 54.3703763632691 g
- Saturated Fat 18.7603274526595 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - 9x5 inch loave (542g)
- Sodium 96.5265289235711 mg
- Sugar 312.214637642029 g
- Trans Fat 4.30589757646003 g
- Calories 1946 calories
Step-by-step
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water.
- Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, shortening, honey, salt and wheat flour in food processor or bowl. Mix in yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. Add bread flour, and process until dough forms a ball. Knead dough by processing an additional 80 seconds in food processor, or mix and knead by hand 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.
- Punch down, and divide dough in half. Roll out each half, and pound out the bubbles. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9x5 inch bread pans. Butter the tops of the dough, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area until doubled; second rise should take about 30 minutes.
- Place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tops are dark golden brown. Butter crusts while warm. Slice when cool.
Replacing the honey with an equal weight of molasses shifts the flavor profile from floral sweetness to deep, earthy bitterness while retaining the same humectant properties that keep the crumb soft. Sugar feeds the yeast directly in the initial 110 degrees Fahrenheit water bath, triggering rapid carbon dioxide production before the heavier fats enter the dough matrix. Evaporated milk introduces concentrated lactose and dairy proteins, which brown readily through Maillard reactions and reinforce the tender texture.
Combining whole wheat flour and high-protein bread flour requires careful management of gluten development. Whole wheat flour contains bran flakes that physically sever gluten strands, so incorporating the whole wheat flour during the initial mixing phase allows the sharp edges to hydrate and soften before the bread flour adds structural elasticity. Processing the dough for eighty seconds in a food processor or kneading by hand for ten minutes aligns these protein strands to trap the expanding gas.
Steam generation during baking directly dictates the crust quality of the final loaves. Placing a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven introduces moisture that gelatinizes starches on the exterior surface before the internal heat sets the crumb. This moisture barrier delays crust hardening, allowing the dough to achieve maximum vertical expansion before the top turns dark golden brown.
Cooling the loaves completely before slicing prevents the interior starches from compressing into a gummy texture. Baked loaves can be frozen for up to three months if wrapped tightly in plastic and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Thawing frozen slices at room temperature preserves moisture before a brief toast restores the crust.
