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Aren’t old cookbooks the best? My mom has an old copy of a Farm Journal Canning & Freezing Cookbook from the 70s or 80s. I have photocopied lots of recipes from there to put in my big recipe binder. I particularly like this book because you can almost read it like a novel, there are interesting notes and comments on the recipes that feel a bit like cracking open a time capsule. One of my favorites is a recipe for Honey Whole Wheat bread. Not only is this a delicious recipe, but it’s a big one. It makes THREE LOAVES of bread – 1 to eat now and 2 to freeze for later, saving you time down the road!
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
- 3 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 2 packages of active dry yeast
- 6 tablespoons shortening
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup unseasoned mashed potatoes
- 1 1/2 cup cups milk
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 1/2 – 8 cups all-purpose flour
- melted butter
The recipe calls for 1 cup of mashed potatoes, so first I pricked two potatoes and popped them in the microwave for 10 minutes, scooped out the inside, and mashed them up with a fork. Alternatively, you could use leftover mashed potatoes, or even instant potato flakes mixed with water
Combine 1/2 cup warm water & yeast in a bowl. Stir to dissolve and set aside
Melt shortening in a large pan. Remove from heat, add honey, remaining 3 cups water, milk, & mashed potatoes
Add whole wheat flour & salt. Stir until smooth with a wire whisk
Add yeast mixture and whisk smooth
With a large spoon, mix in enough all-purpose flour to make a dough that cleans the pan (I mix in 6 cups – then I can use the remaining 2 cups while kneading)
Knead on a lightly floured counter until smooth and satiny (8-10 minutes)
Grease a large bowl. Put the dough ball in a bowl and then turn the dough so the greased part is facing up
Cover & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1-1.5 hours)
Punch down the dough and divide into thirds. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
Shape into 3 loaves and place in greased 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans. For a smooth top, let the dough drape over your fist, then gently roll it into a loaf shape. Brush the top with melted butter
Cover & let rise until doubled (about 1 hour)
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool on racks. Wrap as soon as the bread is cool. Loaves can be frozen for up to 9 months. To thaw, let the bread sit in its wrapper at room temperature on a wire rack
