Daddy's Sourdough Apricot Walnut Bread

Directions

Feed starter ½ cup sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon instant potato flakes once a week, stirring well.

Let mixture sit in uncovered container all day to feed and grow.

After 8 to 10 hours, remove 1 cup of starter to bake bread; return remainder of starter to refrigerator in loosely covered container.

Combine starter, water, oil, sugar and apricots and mix well.

Add walnuts and the whole wheat flour; blend together with a whisk.

Add 2 cups of the bread flour and mix again.

Add the last 2 cups of the bread flour, combined with the salt, and mix again.

The dough will be sticky and a little stiff.

Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth.

Let rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch down and divide into three equal pieces.

Put each piece into a greased loaf pan and let rise until they reach the tops of the pans.

Bake at 350℉ (180℃) F for 30 minutes or until browned and pulling away from the sides of the pans.

You can substitute white corn syrup for part or all of the oil; the bread might cook more quickly and brown too soon if not watched carefully.

Can also substitute ¼ cup oatmeal for ¼ cup flour.

Daddy speeds up the process; he feeds the starter and then puts it into a hot water bath for about an hour.

While the starter sits in its bath, he mixes his ingredients for the bread.

He uses 1 cup of the starter and lets the remainder sit outside for several hours.

He makes his dough and puts it in a hot water bath to rise.

When he punches it down, he puts the pans over a hot water bath to rise.

He accomplishes the entire process in one day instead of two days.