Jan Sharp's Sour Dough Bread

By Vickie_is_organizing

Ingredients

• 1 cup starter
• 1/2 ½ cup sugar
• 1/2 ½ cup corn oil
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 1 ½ cup warm water
• 6 cups bread flour

Preparation

Step 1

If you have trouble mixing all of the flour in, pour out on bread board and knead a little. Wash bowl and grease bowl well with oil. Put dough in oiled bowl and turn to coat outside of dough all over. Cover with clean dish cloth. Let stand in warm place for 8 to 12 hours. (If house is cool, you may wish to set covered dough in oven with a pan of hot water under it. During winter when my house is cool I will sometimes even change the water after about 4 or 5 hours.)

After dough has risen in bowl, pour out on lightly floured board and knead a couple of times—not too much, just to work out air. Divide into three parts and put into greased bread pans. It makes three large loafs of bread. Cover with clean dish rag again and let rise 8 to 12 hours in warm place.

When ready to bake, put in oven on a lower shelf where top isn’t too close to burner. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 325 F. I put mine in oven and then turn oven on. This browns bottoms and sides also. Every oven will vary though and pans cook differently. I use Ekco pans, but glass pans may not cook the same.

When baked, brush tops with melted margarine. Allow to cool in pan 5 to 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely. If left in pans to cool, the sides and bottom may feel soft rather than firm. Cuts best after it cools a little.