Cinnamon-Raisin (Currant) Wheat Bread

*Remember: I use a K-Tec Champ mixer. This will make 5-6 loaves of bread. Make sure your mixer can handle the dough.

6 cups warm water (110 degrees)
3 T instant yeast
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T salt
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup oil
2 T cinnamon
1 1/2 c. raisins or currants
8 cups whole wheat flour
8-10 cups all-purpose flour (it recommends bread flour but I have had no problems using AP flour.)

Put water and raisins or currants in blender. Blend until fruit pieces are desired size. I like them very small. Pour water/fruit mixture into mixing bowl. Add yeast, honey, oil, vinegar, cinnamon and 8 cups of freshly milled whole wheat flour, pulsing to mix ingredients together. Let mixture sponge (sit and bubble up) for approximately 20 minutes. Add 8-10 cups of all-purpose flour (one cup at a time) until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. Knead.

I form three loaves of bread (using 1 lb. 4 oz. of dough for each) and use the rest of the dough for rolls. I put the loaves into the oven at 170 degrees to rise, allowing the rolls to rise on their jelly roll pan on the oven top. Loaves should rise for approximately 25 minutes, and then cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Rolls, once risen, can bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

We occasionally put a powdered sugar glaze on top of this loaf for a sweet treat. Also, the bread makes excellent french toast.

This recipe, in its original form, can be found in the excellent cookbook, Martha's Family Cookery Book. I have made small changes.

Whole Wheat and Seed Bread

*I have a K-Tec Champ that allows me to make five-six loaves of bread at a time.*

Place in mixer bowl:

6 cups hot water (92-110 degrees; can be low especially when using the warm fresh ground flour.)
1/3 cup canola or olive oil
1/3 cup honey (I use about 2T molasses and the rest honey)
2 TB instant yeast
1/2 cup pure gluten
1 cup ground seeds (I use flax, sesame and sunflower seeds, whirred up in the blender)
5 cups whole wheat flour

Mix together. Let sponge (sit and bubble up) for 25 minutes

Add:

1 1/2 T salt (I always put my salt container on the mixer because I have been known to forget to add it. Not a good idea.)
Enough whole wheat flour to clean sides of bowl. This recipe used approximately 13 - 14 cups of flour in all, but the moisture in the air can impact how much flour is needed.) I put in the majority of the flour, then set my mixer to its bread cycle. The last few cups I add one at a time, making sure that I don't add too much flour. Once the bowl starts coming clean, I set my mixer to auto-knead. I just press the button and it mixes just the right amount and turns off. No thinking on my part...that's my idea of a mixer.

I put 1lb.4oz. of bread dough in each bread pan, and then place it in a 170 degree oven to rise. Once it has risen to the desirable height (usually about 25 minutes), I switch the oven to 350 degrees. I bake them for 25 minutes, including the time the oven is heating up to 350. You know the loaf is done when you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. I grease the pans with a mixture of oil and liquid lecithin (I purchase the lecithin at the local health food store.)

I cool on racks for as long as I can keep the hungry residents from attacking. It technically should cool at least ten to fifteen minutes, but that is asking a lot sometimes. It just gooshes more easily if not cool.

For storage, I have purchased bread bags. I originally bought these because we sold bread in order to pay ourselves back for the cost of the mixer (and the grain mill we use to grind wheat.) For our own use, we recycle them over and over and over. They are very sturdy.

This recipe was adapted from the Basic Whole Wheat Bread recipe in Hearth and Home by Karey Swan. A favorite cookbook.

Truffles

Chocolate Truffles

12 oz. sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 whipping cream, scalded
1 1/2 tsp. flavoring
Powdered sugar
12 - 16 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces. Or, high quality milk or white chocolate.

* Use dry bowls and utensils. Can use wooden spoon. *

1. Melt sweet chocolate on high for two minutes. Stir. Melt on high approximately thirty seconds more until done (time may vary according to microwave.)
2. Melt butter on high thirty seconds at a time.
3. Mix the melted butter with the melted sweet chocolate.
4. Slowly strain 1/4 cup of the hot cream into the chocolate mixture, whisking by hand until the cream is absorbed. Repeat procedure twice, using 1/4 cup cream each time.
5. Drizzle flavoring into chocolate mixture, stirring until mixture is smooth.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chocolate mixture is firm, at least two hours (overnight, if desired.)
7. Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Spoon out one inch mounds of chocolate. Chill on baking sheet.
8. Cover hands with powdered sugar. Cover chocolate mound in powdered sugar; roll into ball with sugar covered hands.

At this point, truffles may be frozen. They should be chilled thoroughly before continuing.

9. Melt chocolate of your choice. Keep "melty" by having it over hot water (do NOT let water get into the chocolate.) Dip chocolate ball into the melted chocolate; place on waxed paper. Store in air-tight container in the refrigerator.


Flavoring notes:
I have used two tablespoons of peppermint syrup, rum flavoring, real rum, kahlua, brandy, espresso, mint flavoring, and orange flavoring.

Chocolate notes:
I have used Baker's, Ghirardelli, and Guitard chocolate, as well as the hunks of dark, milk and white chocolate sold at Trader Joe's.

Topping notes:
I have tried to do different things to distinguish the fillings. Powdered sugar for peppermint truffles (dusted over the top), cocoa mixed with a skosh of sugar dusted over the top for dark chocolate, a coffee bean for mocha, a green or orange colored dab of white chocolate on mint or orange flavored ones. On rum ones I tried to make a skull and crossbones (symbolizing the pirate-ish nature of rum) but it just become a swirly design. That's okay. Have fun and be creative.