Mennonite Bread
Submitted by kristmass
Mennonite bread, a hearty honey-sweetened loaf built from whole wheat, rye flour, and wheat germ with tangy buttermilk for a tender crumb. Wholesome, faintly sweet farmhouse bread for sandwiches and toast.
YIELD
4 loavesPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
3 hrsThis is everyday farmhouse bread with backbone, the kind Mennonite and Amish kitchens have baked by the batch for generations. A blend of whole wheat flour, rye, and wheat germ gives it a nutty, full-grained flavor, while buttermilk and honey keep the crumb soft and faintly sweet rather than dense and dry.
Three ingredients do quiet, important work. Buttermilk brings acidity that tenderizes the dough so all that whole grain doesn’t bake up like a brick. Honey feeds the yeast and lends gentle sweetness. And a solid ten-minute knead develops the gluten that lets a heavy whole-grain dough still rise tall.
Patience pays off across two rises. Wait for the dough to truly double each time, once in the bowl and again in the pans, or the loaves come out tight and heavy. The crust bakes deep golden and the inside slices into sturdy, sandwich-ready bread that toasts well and freezes even better.
Kitchen Tips
- Proof the yeast first. If it doesn’t foam within five minutes, it’s dead and there’s no saving the loaf.
- Add the bread flour gradually while kneading, just until the dough is smooth and springs back. Too much flour bakes up dry.
- Loaves are done when they sound hollow tapped on the bottom, or when an instant-read thermometer hits about 190 degrees F (88 degrees C) in the center.
Variations
- Stir in a handful of sunflower or flax seeds for extra crunch and nutrition.
- Swap maple syrup or molasses for the honey for a deeper, darker flavor.
- Shape any extra dough into rolls, reducing the baking time accordingly.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1 cup of the warm water.
Let stand 5 minutes until yeast foams. Stir in the salt, oil, honey, remaining water, and buttermilk.
Mix in the rye flour, wheat germ, and whole wheat flour; beat well.
Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well until stiff dough forms.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes adding additional bread flour as needed.
Wash bowl, grease it, and add dough to bowl.
Turn over to grease top of dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
Grease four 8½ inch bread pans. punch dough down. Divide into 4 parts. Shape each into a loaf and place in pans.
Cover loosely. Let rise until about doubled. Bake in preheated 375℉ (190℃). oven for approx. 40 mins.
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