Old Mill Bread!

Here we are, staring fall in the face......the "back-to-school" ads have started, the county fair is going full-swing, the fall-ish festivals begin this weekend, etc., etc. All I can say is, "Where did the summer go?!!" I know, I know - we've still got August and early September, which I'm extremely grateful for. But after last year's never-ending winter, everyone in our part of the country is NOT anxious at all to see that first snowflake! I should probably be posting something summer-y and light, since I'm "anti-fall" right now, but as I'm sitting here typing, I'm enjoying an amazing piece of "Old Mill" toast. This really is more of a fall/winter recipe, but since it's at the top of my mind (and my tongue!) , I couldn't resist putting this recipe up. It's a wonderful, light mix-up of whole wheat, rye, cornmeal and unbleached flour, with the sweetness of a little honey. It's wonderful as bread, but also makes super duper toast (I'm a toast-a-holic!) I'm thinking my readers might like to make it once or twice before the snow flies.....and then you'll be making it weekly!! 

Old Mill Bread

1 Cup warm water

1 Tbsp/package Red Star Platinum yeast 

¼ Cup additional very warm water

¼ Cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp. honey 

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. oil

¼ Cup rye flour (I have used both light or dark rye flour- both are good!)

1 ¼ Cup whole wheat flour

2- 2 ½ Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, mix the ¼ Cup very warm water, cornmeal, honey & salt. Let cool.  Place yeast in the EZ DOH bucket and pour in the 1 cup of warm water. Stir and dissolve the yeast. Let rest for one minute.  Add one cup of flour to the yeast, then the additional ingredients, including the cornmeal mixture. EZ DOH-it ,adding enough additional flour to get a soft and elastic, but not sticky, dough (usually about 2-3 minutes. Remove the dough from the bucket and “pull” the sides to smooth the top of the dough. Spray the bucket with cooking spray and replace the dough in the bucket. Let rise until doubled. Remove the dough from the bucket and shape into a loaf. (I did not use a traditional loaf pan for this recipe – if you would like to, I think there would be enough dough to make 2- 8”x4” loaves) Let rise. Gently slash the top of the loaf and sprinkle with flour. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. ENJOY!!

Adapted from “Recipes from The Old Mill”

Old Mill Bread!