Grandma's Honey Wheat Bread

I do not know for sure if my recipe is authentic to the 1940s or not.  While it is not identical to those found in the wartime cookbooks I checked out from the library, there are similarities.  I think that it certainly would have been acceptable to use this recipe in the 40s in the US.

Before I give up the recipe, I have to say that as a child, I spent a lot of time with my paternal grandparents.  The bread recipe I used is one of very few that I got from my grandmother.  She was born in 1912 in rural Wisconsin.  Grandma was the eldest child in her family so instead of helping out her mother in the kitchen, she spent her days helping her father with the farm work.  She was always a hard worker and she certainly saw some hard times as well as many good times in her life. 

Because Grandma spent her days helping with the farm work instead house work, she never picked up the cooking skills other girls her age did.  She never did a lot of baking but one thing I do fondly remember baking with her when I was growing up was fresh bread.  There is just something magical about being a little girl standing next to grandma in the kitchen.  If I close my eyes, I can still smell the yeasty loaves as they sit rising.

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water

2 cups white flour (can replace this with whole wheat)
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup honey
1/3 cup shortening – melted
5 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
2. Add honey and mix until honey is dissolved.
3. Add white flour to yeast mixture and stir gently.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
4. Melt shortening.
5. Mix salt into whole wheat flour then add melted shortening.
6. Combine whole wheat flour mixture with yeast mixture.  If mixture is too dry, add a tiny bit more water.  If it is too sticky, add a small amount more flour.
7. Knead for about 10 minutes.  (Make sure to knead for the full 10 minutes as this is important to the structure of the bread.)
8. Once dough is smooth and elastic, place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth (or oiled plastic wrap).
9. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 45 minutes to an hour.
10. Punch dough down then divide in half and shape into two loaves.
11. Place into two lightly greased and loaf pans and allow to rise until dough is 1 – 2 inches above the lip of the pans - about 45 minutes -- The less time you let them sit during the second rise, the better your chances of them not falling in the oven..  (Mine are 9" x 5" pans.)
12. Bake loaves in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 – 30 minutes.

Makes two loaves – 12 to 14 slices per loaf.

 

Unfortunately, I keep the thermostat in my house set quite cool and I got impatient waiting for the second rise.  It tastes wonderful all the same.  Next time, I promise to let it rise fully before baking!