Johanns recipe from Birkilauf Iceland
Johann Thor - Birkilauf Nature Lodge
Golden Bread - 2 pieces
Ingredients:
White Bread Flour (600gr. - 5 cups)
Warm Water (750ml - 3 cups) 45 degrees
Real Butter - Melted (100 gr.)
Honey (2-4 tablespoons) Acacia or other
1-2 package dry yeast ~12 gr.
1+ tablespoon salt (2+ if you use sea-salt as it's weaker)
300-500 gr. Whole Wheat Flour
50-100 gr. sugar (depending on amount of honey)
- Put the warm water in a large bowl, mix in the yeast, and half the honey. I use an electric mixer with the two kneading hooks, for this process. Mix in the white bread flour, one cup after the other, and make sure it's properly mixed before adding the next. When all 5 cups are mixed and the mixture is even, and without any lumps, put a cloth over the bowl.
- Let the mixture heave for 30-45 minutes, depending on temperature, or until double in size. It should be big and bubbly.
- Now take a ladle/wooden spoon, and mix in the melted butter. Take care to melt butter slowly so it doesn't separate. Mix in the rest of the honey, sugar, salt, until totally mixed.
- Mix in the Whole Wheat Flour with the ladle/spoon, one cup at a time, until the dough is kneadable. This is usually around 2-3 cups.
- Now sprinkle a table with some Whole Wheat Flour, and start kneading the dough by hand for 10-15 minutes with the rest of the Whole Wheat flour, adding a small amount of Whole Wheat Flour step by step. When the dough is perfect, shape into a ball, cover lightly with Whole Wheat Flour all around.
- Take a clean bowl, sprinkle the bottom with a little Whole Wheat Flour, put the dough in and cover with a damp cloth. Let it heave for 30-45 minutes, depending on temperature, until doubled in size.
- Turn the bowl on it's top and gently shake the bowl until the dough falls on the table. Cut into 2 pieces and rub some Whole Wheat Flour around it. Place the pieces on a rack with some baking paper.
- Put a cloth on top of the rack, and let the dough heave for the third time, for 15-30 minutes, into it's final form. Don't heave to much or it will start to crack open. Now the dough is ready and shall not be disturbed before baking
- Place the rack into a preheated convection oven, bake for 30 minutes at 175C. Optionally place a baking form in the bottom of the oven, and pour a glass of water into it, making it hiss. This will insure that the bread stays moist.
- Take out the rack, and using a small piece of butter, smear the outside of the bread with the melting butter. You can also use olive-oil in a spray can.
- Let the bread cool down completely before slicing it.
Enjoy!