Baking Bread (again)

Think I need a bigger bowl for when I am doing 2 loaves!

Sooo yummy... just need to tweak the recipe a little to reduce it by about 20%

The bread I baked on Tuesday night was all gone by the end of Wednesday, which is why I have made double this time! it's going to be 32 degrees tomorrow - good weather for baking bread as it will rise well, but not so good for my 'comfort', to be baking in the heat :o)

Here's my 'Tweaked' bread recipe - will make 2 loaves

8-9 cups plain flour
1 cup unprocessed bran
3.5tb Dry Yeast
3.5tb Sugar
1.5tb Celtic Sea Salt
900ml hot water (48-54 degrees)
(If it's hot but I can hold my finger in it for 10 seconds then it's great - and easier than a thermometer)
Coconut oil - about 2tb

Mix together: bran, 7 cups flour, yeast, sugar & salt
Pour in hot water and beat 100 strokes or 3 minutes with a mixer (I don't have a mixer and I can never get to 100 strokes so I knead for longer)
Flour your surface, tip mix out and knead for 8 minutes (10 for me)
Rub coconut oil over entire surface and place dough in bowl with damp tea towel covering. Place this bowl on top of another bowl of hot water to steam (water should not touch dough bowl)
Allow to rise for 15 minutes
Punch down
Divide into 2 and place in loaf tins (grease if needed)
Sit loaf tins on hot water bowl, covered again, till slightly risen again - 5/10 minutes
Place tins on middle shelf of a cold oven
Place a tin of hot water on the lower shelf (I use a round cake tin half filled with boiling water)
Bake at 200 degrees for about 25-35 minutes - keep an eye on it and knock loaves for a hollow sound once they're looking done.

Great served hot with butter or keep over night and slices easily for toast and sandwiches.
A little heavier than shop bread - open sandwiches can work well for this reason.

Melinda (7) loves to just eat it with lots of butter - warm or cold! I love it with a glass of icy cold raw milk - YUMMY!