Recipe: Vienna Style Bread

VIENNA STYLE BREAD
Source: Old World Breads by Charel Scheele
Yield: 2 medium-size loaves

One of the most pleasant traditions in Vienna in the summer is the tasting of the new wine made from the grapes of the previous autumn. Usually a light white wine is served with smoked meats, cheeses, radishes, and some good Vienna-style bread.

1 cake yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
Approximately 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
1 teaspoon corn oil or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
2 egg whites, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Sesame seeds

In a 6-quart mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast the water. Add 1 cup of the flour. Mix well. Let this ferment for 1 hour in a warm (75 degree F) place.

Then add the milk, oil, honey, 1 of the egg whites, the salt, and the remaining 5 cups flour, working them into a dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and glossy.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover it with a towel. Let rise in a warm (75 degrees F) place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.

Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and shape each piece into an oblong loaf. Set the loaves on a baking sheet that has been liberally dusted with cornmeal. Brush with the remaining egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Let rise again in a warm place for 45 to 50 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet at once and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.