Recipe: Honey Graham Bread (yeast bread using graham cracker crumbs)

HONEY GRAHAM BREAD

"This bread is delicious toasted."

6 cups unsifted all-purpose flour, divided use
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
1/2 cup wheat germ
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 envelopes fast-rising yeast
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Set aside 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix together the remaining 4 cups of the all-purpose flour, the whole-wheat flour, graham-cracker crumbs, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Combine the water, orange juice, honey and butter in medium-size saucepan. Heat to 130 degrees F. (Mixture should feel comfortably hot to the touch.)

Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in just enough of the reserved flour to make soft dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Cover; let rise for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in 2 greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch baking pans. Cover; let the dough rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until it is doubled in volume, about 45-55 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until loaves are browned and sound hollow when tapped with fingers. Remove breads from pans to wire racks to cool. Brush loaves with oil while warm.

Makes 2 loaves of bread, about 12 slices each
Source: Gail Westergren to the Nashua Telegraph, October 29, 2008