This is another type of old- fashioned bread not seen much these days.
4 cups scalded milk
1 1/2 cups oil
3 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3-4 tsp yeast
11-12 cups flour
Mix the salt, sugar, yeast and 1/2 of the flour together. Add the wet ingredients and stir well. Add in the remainder of the flour until it is a nice consistency that is not too sticky. Knead it until the bread dough has some elasticity, about 5-10 minutes (you may use a heavy duty mixer with a dough hook). Cover and let rise until double in bulk- about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and knead lightly for a couple minutes. Form into 3-4 loaves. Place in greased loaf pans (3 larger or 4 medium sized loaf pans). Cover and allow to rise until doubled. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-35 minutes (or until outside is lightly brown- you can test it with a food thermometer; it should be 200 degrees when finished). Cool in loaf pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then turn out onto racks to cool the rest. May rub butter over top of loaves after removing from the oven.
Variation- may add 1 cup of raisins for each cup of milk used while mixing the dough.
*Recipe adapted from one from Mrs. John J. Becker in the Mennonite Community Cookbook 1978.
My old family Stretzel recipe includes raisons, pecans, and anise seed. We braid the dough into ropes, and eggwash during baking for beautiful loaves.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great way to make it- a little more pretty and some great added flavors. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteAlso, we add half the flour, let it rise, and then add the other half of the flour, and let it rise a second time. After we braid it, it rises a third time before baking. I'm not sure if this practice makes a difference in taste or not, but I've never been willing to try it otherwise!
ReplyDeleteThis would probably help give a better rise and nicer texture. As you can see, I need to get this updated with a photo- am anxious to try your ideas. Thanks!
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