Grab a mixing bowl and your bread-making apron--time to whip up two loaves of this lovely English muffin bread.
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
- 3 to 4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- 4 tsp. yeast
- 1 T. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Cornmeal
Preparation
Heat the milk and water over low heat in a small saucepan until warm, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, place 3 cups of whole-wheat flower, 3 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir to mix.
Pour the milk/water mixture into another large bowl and sprinkle with yeast. Stir gently and set aside to proof for 5 to 10 minutes.
Whisk the yeast mixture. Stir in the flour mixture about 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until a dough forms and it becomes too difficult to stir.
Place dough on lightly floured cutting board and knead in the rest of the flour (including remainder of all-purpose flour, if needed). The dough may be slightly sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Divide dough in two, shape into logs, and place in two rectangular pans (9" x 5" x 3") that have been oiled and sprinkled with cornmeal.
Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake loaves for 25 minutes or until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove from pans right away and cool on wire racks.
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