Beard on Bread (14 page)

Punch the dough down and knead again for 3 or 4 minutes. Shape into two round, cottage-type loaves, and place on baking sheets that have been buttered or sprinkled with a little cornmeal. Let them rise until doubled in bulk, then bake in a preheated oven at 375° for at least 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when rapped on top and bottom. Cool on racks before slicing.

This is an interesting, crunchy, rather solid bread. It has a good moist crumb and keeps well. I particularly like it toasted and well buttered, and I find it pleasing for certain sandwiches.

[2 loaves]

Cook the cracked wheat in the boiling water about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until all the water is absorbed. Dissolve the yeast in the ⅓ cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl and let proof. Stir the butter, salt, molasses, honey, and milk into the cooked cracked wheat. Cool to lukewarm, then add to the yeast mixture. With a large spoon or with one hand, start stirring in the flours, 1 cup at a time. When the dough is stiff enough to work, turn out on a floured board and knead a good 10 to 12 minutes, working in a little of the remaining flour as necessary. (The dough will retain a slightly tacky but not sticky texture.) When smooth and elastic, shape into a ball and put in a buttered bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover, place in a warm, draft-free spot, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours. Punch down and shape into two loaves. Put in well-buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pans, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk, or until the dough reaches the tops of the pans. Bake in a preheated 375° oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on top and bottom. Cool on racks.

I learned to make this bread in Norway, at Mrs. Ovenstad’s farm near Oslo. She bakes it twice a week, and though she resorts to heating the dough over steam for the second rising, it comes out beautifully. She is also a deft pastry cook and gardener, and loves to eat.

[2 large loaves]

Pour the boiling water over the whole-wheat kernels and let stand for an hour or two to soften. Proof the yeast and sugar together in the warm water. Combine the rye, whole-wheat, and white flours with the salt and blend well. Add the yeast mixture, the drained whole-wheat kernels, and the milk-water; knead well for 10 to 15 minutes. (Or use the electric mixer, if you have a heavy-duty model with a dough hook, and blend thoroughly.) Form the dough into a ball, and place in a well-buttered bowl, turning the dough to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour. When it has risen to almost double its bulk, punch down and remove to a floured board. Knead about 10 minutes, then cut into two equal pieces. Knead each piece lightly, and form into a loaf to fit a 10 × 5 × 3-inch bread pan; or form loaves about 16 inches long and 4 inches wide and fit side by side in a pan about an inch deep. Cover and allow the dough to rise again until almost doubled in bulk,
then brush with butter or water and slash each loaf two or three times with a very sharp knife or a razor blade. Bake in a preheated 400° oven for approximately 1 hour, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on top and bottom. (This bread should have a good crunchy crust, so a few moments extra cooking will not hurt it.) Remove to a rack and allow to cool before cutting.

1. If whole-wheat kernels are not available, you can substitute ⅔ cup of Ralston or other whole-wheat cereal.

2. If you want to do the second rising quickly, as Mrs. Ovenstad did, place the pan of dough over a steaming pot of water. It will not harm the dough in any way or affect its final texture.

An old recipe that I have used for many years, this makes a very nicely textured, flavorful, and interesting bread. Good baked either in loaf tins or in a free-form oval loaf, slashed with a sharp knife before baking, it is an excellent sandwich bread and a good toaster. This is a large recipe, but the bread lasts exceedingly well (and of course can be frozen); the recipe can be cut in half successfully.

[2 or 3 loaves]

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in ½ cup of water in a large bowl and let proof for about 5 minutes. Combine the evaporated milk and the remaining 1½ cups water, and heat to warm. Remove from the heat and add butter and salt. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture, and blend well with a wooden spoon. Add the 3 cups of graham flour to the liquids and beat hard with the spoon or with your hand. Stir in about 3 cups of the all-purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, and beat well. (The dough will become sticky
and the flour will be hard to incorporate.) Add enough of the remaining flour to make a firm dough, and beat until it comes away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out on a lightly floured board, and knead, using the remaining flour, until it is smooth and elastic, which will take a good 7 to 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, put into a buttered bowl, and turn to coat with butter on all sides. Cover and allow to rest in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down and divide into three pieces. Thoroughly butter three 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf tins, or two 10 × 5 × 3-inch tins. Shape the dough into loaves, arrange in the tins, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350° and continue baking 30 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when removed from the pans and tapped on top and bottom with the knuckles. Cool completely on racks before slicing.

This sourdough rye appeared in the columns of
The New York Times
several years ago. I tried it, made some changes in it, and discovered that it was one of the best recipes I have ever used. The bread has a nice crumb, slices well, and keeps extremely well. I enjoy it for sandwiches and find that, thinly sliced and well buttered, it’s delicious served with smoked fish and oysters or other shellfish. The recipe is large, but in this instance I find it works better with the larger amounts, particularly since you have to prepare a starter beforehand. And, of course, if the bread is too much for your larder you can freeze some of it.

[2 free-form loaves]

Four days ahead of breadmaking, prepare the “starter.” Combine 1 package of the yeast, 2 cups warm water, and 2 cups all-purpose flour in a plastic bowl or container. Cover tightly and let stand at room temperature for 2 days. Then refrigerate for at least another day (see note below).