7•7 SANDWICH BREAD

Weigh molasses in 2-cup measuring cup on kitchen scale. Add warm water. Stir thoroughly. Sprinkle yeast onto water and molasses and let it settle into liquid. Set in cold oven for about 10 minutes. When ready, top looks creamy (like a pint of Guinness). In large mixing bowl, weigh whole wheat flour first, then bread flour for total of 500g. Set aside 15g of bread flour from bowl for use while kneading. Add salt to flour. Whisk dry ingredients to blend. Add oil and molasses/water/yeast mixture to flour and salt.

Stir molasses and warm water together and sprinkle yeast onto that mixture. Set in cold oven for about 10 minutes. In large mixing bowl, weigh whole wheat flour, then bread flour. Scoop out 15g of bread flour from bowl for use while kneading. Add salt to flour. Whisk dry ingredients to blend. Add oil and molasses/water/yeast mixture to flour and salt.

Stir just enough to get a rough dough that incorporates most flour. Cover bowl to prevent drying and let dough rest in a cool space about 45 minutes to allow liquid to fully absorb dry ingredients (i.e., hydrate).

Stir to get a rough dough. Cover bowl and let dough rest for about 45 minutes.

Using pinch of set-aside flour, lightly flour smooth surface before placing dough on it. Knead about 10 minutes, scraping and flouring surface as necessary. Do not add more flour than the 15g you set aside; if dough remains too sticky, lightly oil board. Dough is ready when you can stretch a pinch enough to see light through it without tearing it. Scrape then lightly grease bowl. Shape dough into a ball, place in bowl, and pat top of dough with oil.

Use a pinch of set-aside flour to lightly flour smooth surface. Knead about 10 minutes. Do not add more flour than the 15g you set aside; if necessary, lightly oil board. Lightly grease bowl. Shape dough into a ball and pat top of dough with oil.

Cover bowl, being careful to allow sufficient room for dough to rise without touching cover. Let rise until doubled in size, 60–90 minutes. In warm room it will rise more quickly; in very cool room, it can take over 2 hours. Time will vary; it’s the doubling that matters.

Cover bowl and let rise until doubled in size.

Push your fist into doubled dough to release trapped air, then move dough onto lightly oiled (not floured) work surface. Note that one side looks almost leathery while the other looks relatively fluffy. Put fluffy side on bottom, pull edges of dough up, press and hold to seal and form a ball, then flip it over and scrape its base toward you to tighten it. Flip over again so leathery side is up, and flatten into rectangle with short side about the length of bread pan. Squeeze out any air bubbles. Grab the two corners furthest from you, pull them out, then fold them down so far end is pointed. Press and hold to seal and remove air. Roll toward you from pointed top, pressing and sealing each fold until you’ve formed a tight log. Pinch and press seams on bottom and ends to seal. With smooth side up, place in lightly oiled 9×5 metal bread pan (USA Pan nonstick is ideal).

Push your fist into doubled dough and move it onto lightly oiled (not floured) work surface. Pull edges of dough up to form a ball, then scrape its base toward you to tighten it. Flatten that into a rectangle with short side about the length of bread pan. Grab the two corners furthest from you, pull them out, then fold them down so far end is pointed. Roll far end toward you, pressing and sealing each fold until you’ve formed a tight log. Pinch and press seams on bottom and ends to seal. Place in lightly oiled 9×5 metal bread pan (USA Pan nonstick is ideal).

Cover pan, leaving room for dough to expand. Let rise about 60 minutes (again, time will vary). When middle of loaf rises about two inches above top of pan, preheat oven to 400°F. In my oven that takes about 15 minutes. Make sure dough is fully proofed by lightly pressing a fingertip into one edge. When that leaves an indent that does not fill up within a few seconds, it’s ready to bake.

Cover pan and let rise until middle of loaf is about two inches above top of pan. Preheat oven to 400°F. When you can lightly press a fingertip into one edge and it leaves an indent that doesn't fill up within a few seconds, it’s ready to bake.

Place loaf in hot oven and bake 40 minutes, then remove it from pan immediately. To make sure it’s done, knock on bottom of loaf. It should sound somewhat hollow. Cool on wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Unsliced bread keeps cooking as it cools. Opening hot bread can leave a gummy texture throughout the loaf.

Bake 40 minutes then remove it from pan immediately. Let it cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.