1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (+/- 110 degrees F)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup melted butter
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp molasses
4 cups dark rye flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat the egg, melted butter, water, and sweeteners together. Pour in yeast mixture. Slowly stir in flours.
Knead dough on a floured counter (I use my Kitchen Aid!) until smooth and elastic, adding in small amounts of flour if necessary. Place dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a clean towel sprayed with water and allow to rise in a warm place until double.
Punch down and allow to rise again until double. Punch down again and divide into 3 equal portions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Shape into loaves and place in greased pans. Allow to rise again to nearly double.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
I sometimes do these in round loaves on a stone, but I have some terra cotta bread pans from my hometown that make a beautiful crust.
This is a grilled cheese made from this bread a couple weeks ago. Stuart objected to the orange cheese, but as I explained at the time, it was the only reasonably priced extra sharp cheddar in the store that day, and extra sharp is very important!
