Loaves of Happiness

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

This is probably my favorite bread that Tom makes: Bular Bread. It makes me swoon when it's baking, it fills the house with such fantastic aromas!

Ingredients

3 cups milk
1 T salt
3 T instant yeast
2 t ground cardamom
2 T vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
7 - 8 cups flour

Mix together 5 cups of the flour with the salt, sugar, cardamom and yeast. Set aside. Warm the milk to 110F in microwave and add the oil and beaten egg. Mix in flour mixture one cup at a time until it can be kneaded. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth dough. Let rise covered in a warm place until doubled in size. Punch down dough. Form into loaves, buns or (my favorite) you can divide dough in half, roll halves out flat, cover with cinnamon sugar and roll up jellyroll style and slice into 1/4" slices.

Preheat oven to 350F. After loaves, buns or dessert rolls have risen (about 30 - 45 minutes) bake until light brown.

Tom's Ditto Bread

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

3 packages yeast
1/2 t sugar
3 cups water
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 T cornmeal
3 cups whole wheat flour
7 - 8 cups flour
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup molasses
6 T butter
3 T sesame seeds
2 eggs
1 T salt

Mix yeast with 3/4 cup warm water and sugar. Set aside. Boil 3 cups water and pour in a bowl. Add molasses, butter, brown sugar, cornmeal, salt and sesame seeds. When cooled, add yeast mix. Beat eggs stiffly and add to mixture. Mix in whole wheat flour one cup at a time. Begin adding rest of flour one cup at a time, decreasing amount added as dough stiffens. Knead in remaining flour. Lightly grease large bowl. Place dough in the bowl and turn it over to grease both sides. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down, divide into thirds and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise 30 - 45 minutes covered. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake loaves uncovered for 35 - 45 minutes.