Title: Barley Bread
Yield: 1 loaf
Category: Yeast Breads
Cuisine: Medieval
Source: Auntie Sable's Kitchen
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp dry yeast
- 2 cups barley flour
- 1/4 cup rye flour
- Unbleached white flour to make up to a total flour weight of 2 lbs 3 ounces.
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsps salt mixed with 2 tsps water
- Coarse ground barley, sesame seed, or other small whole grain for dusting baking sheet or pan or oven stones
Instructions
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Blend flours. Add 4 cups of the flour to yeast water. Add honey and olive oil to creat a sponge. Mix for 10 minutes, until dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Mix in the salt and remaining flour.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Cover and allow to rise until double in bulk and then punch down, cover and allow to rise a second time.
Punch down and mold 2 or 3 loaves. Place on baking sheet or pans that have been sprinkles with barley. Dust with flour and allow to rise again until double in size. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 – 35 minutes or until the bread is a rich dark brown and the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on bottom. Allow to cool on racks.