Uncle Budd's Bread

It is appropriate that the week I finally feel like I have figured out the way to make Uncle Budd's bread without a bread maker, and managed to type up my findings, is Veteran's Day week. What an amazing man Uncle Budd was. For readers who don't know, he was my grandmother's brother. He was a POW in WWII. His journals from that era are inspiring. He came home to raise a wonderful family and live a life of service. One of the things he did was make the bread for his ward to use in their sacrament service every week. His recipe is amazing. I hope you will try it and enjoy it--thinking about a man who knew the meaning of service and sacrifice.

Uncle Budd’s Bread Formula—all whole wheat
Without a Bread Maker
Modified by Tricia Randall Norton, great-niece

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. yeast
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. gluten flour*
½ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup honey
5-6 cups whole wheat flour
Additional flour for kneading, (can be white or wheat)

Directions:
1. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup add 2 cups warm water, the sugar and yeast. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. The yeast should be bubbly before you proceed.
2. While waiting for the yeast, in a large mixing bowl add butter (softened), gluten flour, salt, and 2 cups of the flour.
3. When the yeast is ready, add olive oil and honey to the yeast mixture.
4. Then add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients.
5. Stir in the remaining flour.
6. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. Add more flour as necessary to knead, but you will finish with a soft and sticky dough.
7. Wash your large mixing bowl, dry and grease with olive oil.
8. Put the dough back into the mixing bowl, turning once to cover with oil. Cover with a damp dishtowel and allow to rise around 60 minutes, until doubled. (Here in Seattle I have to turn the oven on under the mixing bowl or my bread never rises).
9. Punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes. Then shape into 2 loaves.
10. Let rise 30 more minutes while the oven is preheating to 350.
11. Bake 25-30 minutes, until loaves are browned and it sounds hollow when you tap on the top. If loaves are browning too quickly, place a sheet of foil over the loaves.

*I found gluten flour by the cornmeal and other interesting flours in the health food section of my local grocery store.