Ingredients
2 1/4 c. warm water
2 tablespoons INSTANT yeast
1/4 c. honey or pure maple syrup
1/3 c. light olive oil
5 1/4 to 6 1/4 c. bread flour (I also use all purpose unbleached, but bread flour I think is better)
1 c. instant potato flakes
2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans with solid vegetable shortening.
Pour 2 1/4 cups warm water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons yeast over the water. Stir until yeast is dissolved.
Add 1/4 cup honey or syrup and 1/3 cup light olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir until well blended.
Before measuring your flour, sift through your flour bin with a fork several times.
Add 1 cup potato flakes, 2 1/4 cup flour and 2 teaspoons salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until mixture is thick and smooth.
Gradually add 2 cups of flour, stirring with a spoon. The dough will stick together and pull away from the sides and the bottom of the bowl. If it doesn't do this, add a little more flour until it does. The dough will form a lump
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Measure 1 cup more flour. Use only what is necessary to knead and shape the dough. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, put dough on work surface and lightly dust the dough and begin to knead. Knead for about 5 minutes, continuously dusting with flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic.
Divide dough into 2 equal pieces, shape into balls and let rest for 5 minutes.
Shape the dough into loaves and place in prepared pans. Let rise until double...about 15-20 minutes. Place them in the oven and back for 30-40 minutes until nicely browned on top. Immediately take them out of the pans and let them cool on a wire rack.
