Barley Bread Recipe

Ingredients for Barley Bread Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups barley flour
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 1 tablespoon shortening, melted
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 yeast cake, dissolved
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Lukewarm water

Instructions

1. Sift flour and dissolve the yeast with lukewarm water.
2. Put sifted flour in a bowl or on a pastry board.
3. Dissolve salt, sugar, and fat with lukewarm water, and add gently to the flour.
4. Put the mixture in a bowl and add the dissolved yeast.
5. Mix thoroughly, adding more water little by little until a soft dough is obtained. If dough is too soft to be handled, add more flour; if too hard, add more liquid.
6. Beat and knead the mixture for about 10 minutes until smooth and shining or until the dough does not stick to the bowl.
7. Take the dough and place it in a floured or greased bowl, cover with a floured cloth, and let stand in a warm place (80 to 88 degrees F.).
8. Let rise until about double its original bulk and full of bubbles, or until a slight touch of the finger leaves an impression, usually in about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
9. Dredge pastry board, hands, and dough with flour.
10. Knead the dough until until it keeps its shape on the board and is spongy, elastic, and smooth.
11. Take the dough and divide it into equal parts, according to the sizes of bread desired.
12. Grease pans or molds and fill halfway with the dough.
13. Cover with a thick cloth and place where the dough will be warm (80 to 88 degrees F.) as for first rising until the size of the dough doubles in bulk. The dough will then begin to follow the shape of the pan, about 40 and 55 minutes.
14. Place in a hot oven (400 to 425 degrees F.) to allow it to form a crust and stop rising.
15. After 15-20 minutes, lower the oven to 380 degrees until the bread is cooked, about 50-60 minutes.

Bread is done when it shrinks from the mold or pan. The under crust and the edges of the upper crust should rebound if pressed back by the finger. .