Millet Bread

Photo: flickr user placid casual

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

3 cups warm water

1 cup nonfat dry milk

cup honey preferably buckwheat

5 cups white flour preferably

unbleached

cup whole wheat flour (4 ½ to 5)

2 cups whole grain millet

tablespoon kosher salt or 2 t table salt

cup vegetable oil preferably safflower

cup wheat germ

1 cup white flour (1 to 1 ½)

Preparation

Makes two 9-inch loaves or three 8-inch loaves

Put the yeast in a large bowl and pour a little warm water over it. Let it stand until dissolved. Add remaining warm water, the dry milk, the honey, and mix well. Add 3 1/2 c of the white flour and 3 1/2 c of whole wheat flour and beat about 50 strokes. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place for 1-3 hours.

Stir all the remaining ingredients into the sponge, holding back 1/2 c of white flour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, let rest a few minutes while you clean out the bowl and grease it, then knead 8-10 minutes, incorporating as much of the remaining flour as necessary until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Put the dough back in the greased bowl, turning to coat; cover with plastic wrap and let stand about 1-1 1/2 hours, until double in bulk.

Punch down and let rise, covered, until double-about 45 minutes.

Form into 2 loaves and put in 2 greased 9-inch bread pans (or you can use three 8-inch pans). Cover lightly with a towel and let rise 30 minutes.

Bake 10 minutes in preheated 400 degree F oven, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 minutes. Turn out of the pans and cool on racks.