Fasting Bread

By bonnje

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1Tbs. Sugar
• 4 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast (updated)
• 2 cups Luke Warm Water
• 1/2 cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup
• 1/2 cup Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Holy Water
• 1 cup Oats – soaked in 1/2 cup hot water for 2 minutes
• 1 cup Pecan or Walnut pieces – broken and skillet toasted 2 min
• 1 cup Dried Cherries or Raisins - soaked 5 min in 1/4 cup hot water

Details

Adapted from catholiccuisine.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine the first three dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a whisk.

2. Clear a small area in the center of the dry blend.

3. Add sugar, dry yeast, and the 2 cups of warm water. Let stand for 3 minutes until yeast proofs and forms bubbles. Combine with flour mixture and liquid. This will be thick but more liquid comes later.

4. Add maple syrup, olive oil and holy water. Stir mixture until well blended.

5. Add walnuts and/or pecans and raisins and/or cherries with their liquid.

6. Add soaked oats to the flour mixture.

7. Blend everything together in one bowl.

8. Turn out onto a floured board and knead by hand for 10-12 minutes adding more flour as needed to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead the dough by flattening somewhat and fold-in from the outside towards the center. Press down hard on the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat the process until smooth and elastic and forma “ball”

9. Return the “ball” to the mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil, cover and let rise 1 hour.

10. Remove to a floured board and kneed several more times as above. Cut into three equal pieces.

11. Place each piece into a loaf pan coated on all sides with olive oil. Drizzle loaf again with olive oil, cover and let rise for another hour. Olive oil produces a tasty crust.

12. Slash loaf tops and bake in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until brown on top and bottom. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped.

13. Remove bread from pans and cool on a rack.