So I have now endeavored tonight to break a free of a rigid baking recipe and mix together some of the techniques I have learned to see how they would all come together in a bread basically invented on the spot using the foundations I have learned.
Here is what I am doing
2 cups of whole milk with 1/4 cup of butter scalded
Put hot milk/butter into bowl and add 1/2 cup of high grade local honey (very sweet mix of single source, sweet clover, buckthorn, and summer blossom)
Mix and set to allow to cool to 130F
In another bowl mix 1/2 cup of water (130F), 1 tsp of sugar, 2 T active dry yeast, and 1/2 cup white flour, allow to form into lively yeast for about 2 hours.
Put honey, butter, milk mixture into mixer bowl, add 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 cup of white flour, and lively yeast. Mix with batter attachment on #2 speed until mixed together.
Add 6 cups of white flour, 1 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of salt, and change to dough hook attachment and mix for 3 minutes on #2 speed so the dough is formed.
Stop and let sit for 15 minutes.
Turn mixer on speed #2 and add enough flour (1/4 cup at a time) until the dough forms well and pulls clean from bowl. Continue on speed #2 for 4 minutes to knead.
Let dough bulk rise for 2 hours, punch down, shape and place in bread pans, allow to rise again for 1.5 hours. Brush tops with egg white beaten stiff with a spoon of powder sugar. Cut split down the middle and bake for 35 minutes at 335 F.
In the oven now. I will let you know how it turns out in a later post.