Sheepherder Bread Food

SHEEPHERDER'S BREAD

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine water, butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter melts and cool to 110 to 115 degrees. Stir in yeast, cover and set in warm place until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
• *Add 5 C flour and beat to form thick batter. Stir in enough of remaining flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to form stiff dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Turn dough into greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and knead to form smooth ball. I knead the dough 3 times.
• Grease inside of dutch oven and inside of lid with salad oil. Place dough in dutch oven and cover with lid to let rise for the third time. Let raise in warm place until dough pushes up lid about 1/2 inch (watch closely).
• Bake covered with lid in 375 degree oven for 12 minutes, carefully remove lid and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and turn out on rack to cool.

SHEPHERD'S BREAD

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, sugar and salt.
• Stir until butter melts; let cool to warm.
• Stir in yeast, cover and set in a warm place until bubbly.
• Add 5 cups of flour and beat with a wooden spoon to form a thick batter.
• Stir in enough of the remaining flour (about 3 1/2 cups) to form a stiff dough.
• Knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, add flour as needed.
• Place dough in Dutch oven (well greased) and cover.
• Set in a warm place to rise until doubled.
• Punch down and knead on a floured board.
• Return to Dutch oven and let rise until dough pushes up on the lid about 1/2 inch.
• Bake covered with lid, in a 375°F oven for 12 minutes.
• Remove lid and bake for 30-35 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

SHEEPHERDER'S BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 3 cups very hot tap water with butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until butter melts; let cool until warm (110° to 115°). Stir in yeast; cover and set in a warm place until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
• Add 5 cups of the flour. Beat with a heavy-duty mixer or spoon just until batter is stretchy, 2 to 5 minutes. Mix in enough of the remaining flour, about 3 1/2 cups, to form a stiff dough.
• To knead with a dough hook, beat on medium speed until dough pulls from side of bowl and no longer feels sticky, about 5 minutes. If required, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• To knead by hand, scrape dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes, adding flour as required to prevent sticking. Rinse bowl and rub with oil. Return dough to bowl and turn over to coat with oil.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, if using a 5-quart cast-iron Dutch oven, cut a circle of foil to fit bottom of pan; put foil in pan. Rub the foil and sides of pan generously with salad oil. A nonstick pan that is not worn needs no preparation.
• Knead dough with dough hook or on a floured board to expel air, then form into a smooth ball.
• Place dough in baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled again, 45 minutes to 1 hour; watch closely so it doesn't rise too much.
• Bake, uncovered, in a 350° oven until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Remove bread from oven and invert onto a rack (you'll need a helper); remove foil and turn loaf right side up. Cool at least 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool, cut into wedges.
• Nutritional analysis per ounce.

SHEEPHERDER BREAD

Steps:

• Into a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients, and dig a well in the center of the sourdough starter.
• Blend the dry mix into the starter from the edges with enough flour to knead until smooth and shiny.
• Place in greased bowl and let rise until almost double.
• Shape into 2 loaves and place in greased bread pans.
• Bake at 375 degrees F until done.