Lammas Raisin Bread

Lammas Raisin Bread

By Matthew Fields

2 cups rolled oats

5 cups water

1/3 cup honey

1 Tb salt

2/3 cup wheat germ

2 package (2 Tbs) dry yeast

6 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup raisins

2 cups white flour

Cook the oats in 4 cups boiling water until they are just soft (5-10 min). Stir in honey, salt, and wheat germ. Allow to cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in 1 c warm water and stir into oats with 3 c of the ww flour. Beat this sponge w/wooden spoon for a few minutes. Cover bowl with tea towel. Let rise in warm, draft-free place for ca.1 hour or until doubled volume.

Stir down sponge. Stir in raisins & remaining 3 c ww flour. Sprinkle 1 c white flour over a flat wooden or marble surface and turn the dough out onto it. Sprinkle the second c of white flour on top of the dough and carefully begin kneading. Knead for about 10 min or until smooth and elastic. Form into ball. Put in large, buttered bowl. Turn so it is evenly buttered. Cover with tea towel and put the dough away to rise for another hour or until doubled in volume.

Punch down. Cut into 4 even parts. Form each into a loaf and place in 4 buttered medium-size pans. Cover with tea towels. Let rise for about 1/2 hour. Bake in preheated oven at 400 deg F [200 deg C] for 15 min, then turn heat down to 350 deg [175 deg C] and bake for another 30-40 min. Makes 4 loafs.