Barley Wheat Bread

Barley Wheat Bread

Heat 3 cups of water to hot, but not boiling.

Grind 3/4 C barley pearls

And 3/4 C winter wheat grains

Add water and grain to a large mixing bowl.  Add 1/4 C loosely packed brown sugar.  Mix.  Cover and keep in a warm place until the temperature is warm but cool enough to bathe a baby in.  (Grandma's terms and how I learned to prepare the flour mix for the yeast to be added later).  

When it is at the right temperature, add 1 TBS Yeast.  Mix. Cover.  Let sit until foamy (about 10-15 min)

Add in 3/5-1 C olive oil

2 TBS salt

And enough all purpose flour to make a soft but not sticky dough. I start with about 5-6 C of flour and add what is needed from there.

Knead until the dough is elastic and rubbery feeling. Coat in oil to keep it from sticking to the bowl.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel.  

Lighty warm the oven but don't make it hot.  Place the covered bowl in the oven and let rise until at least doubled.  About 45-60 min.

Remove bowl from oven.  Put oven rack in the middle. Place an oven safe bowl filled with boiling water in the oven.  Turn oven on to 350. 

Punch down the dough.  Divide in 4.

Cover two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them.  Form the dough balls into round shapes.  Score the top.  Brush with an egg wash. 

I usually leave 2 balls in the bowl and make the first two loaves.  I let them rise about 20 minutes and then put the first 2 in the oven.  While they are baking, I form the next two and let them rise.

Let bake 20-30 min until browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven, take loaves off the pan and put them on cooling racks.