From: "Edward S. Zuckerman" (AED-PD) <ezucker@PICA.ARMY.MIL>
Subject:  RECIPE: Old Milwaukee Rye Bread
Organization: Taronga Park BBS
Date:     Wed, 27 Jan 93 13:13:48 EST

This is my first post to this newsgroup.   Hello There!  Thanks to whoever
got me connected....   Anyway, allow me to introduce myself.   I'm EDDIE!

While I was attending Rutgers, I worked full-time in a place called "Stuff
Yer Face"...a place which specialized in Strombolis.  I also was the steward
in charge of my Fraternity's (SIG-EP) meal plan for 35 guys.  I somehow
never escaped from the food world after that.  At this point, I'm an
amateur caterer, more for a hobby than for the $$.  My forte' is large outdoor
tailgate partys for about 120 people max.  I've also done indoor gigs for
smaller crowds on occasion.   Somehow, I manage to be behind the scenes for
a zillion other culinary events-whether it is a work function, a dinner at
the firehouse...or just one of my friends' backyard partys.   Whatever....  
I'm one of those guys who lives in the kitchen.   (...a good grab 
for any of you single women ;-) )
 
The following recipe has been taken from Bernard Clayton's New
Complete Book of Breads.  Reprinted without permission, edited special for
rec.food.recipes...    I might add that this 2" thick manual is *awesome*!
A total "must" for anybody who is serious about breads.  Each recipe includes 
directions by hand and by mixer.  I've zipped out the mixer directions because 
I don't own one (yet)!

OLD MILWAUKEE RYE BREAD
(two to four loaves)

Ingredients

Sponge:
2 cups medium rye flour
1 package dry yeast
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

Dough:
1 cup hot water (120-130 degrees)
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
1 egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups rye flour
4 cups all-purpose flour (I use high gluten bakers flour-ez)
3 tablespoons vegatable shortening
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation (1-3 days)
To make the sponge, in a large bowl, measure the flour, yeast, seeds and
water.  Blend well with 25 strokes of a wooden spoon.   Cover the bowl
snugly with plastic wrap so the sponge loses none of it's moisture, which
will condense on the plastic and fall back into the mixture.  The dark
brown pastelike batter will rise and fall as it develops flavor and a
delicious aroma.  Stir once each day.

The sponge, which will resemble a wet mash that's too thick to pour and too
thin to knead, may be used anytime after 6 hours although the longer the
better-up to 3 days, when it will have ceased fermentation.  If it fails to
bubble up anyitme during the 3 day period, don't think it's dead.  It's
not.  It's resting but gaining flavor all the time.

By Hand (20 minutes)
To make the dough, on bake day, uncover the bowl  and add the water,
molasses, 1 tablespoon of caraway, egg, salt, rye flour, and about 2 cups
of white flour. Beat until smooth, about 100 strokes.  Add the shortening.

Kneading (8 minutes)
Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and knead by hand with a
strong push-turn-fold rythym until the dough is smooth.  Add sprinkles of
flour if necessary to control stickiness.

First Rising (1 hour)
Place the dough in a greased bowl and place plastic wrap over the top of
the bowl.  Leave at room temperature until the dough has doubled in bulk,
about an hour.  (If prepared with a new fast-rising yeast at the
recommended higher temperatures, reduce the rising time by half.)

Punch Down (10 Minutes)
Punch down and let rise for an additional 10 minutes

(what they mean is to put your fist right down into the center of the
dough, then fold the outer circumference of the remaining dough into the
center depression you just made with your fist-ez)

Shaping (6 minutes)
Divide the dough.  For 2 round loaves, mold each into a smooth ball and
place on a baking sheet which has been sprinkled with cornmeal.
Flatten the tops slightly.  For a long slender loaf, roll the peices under
your fingers and palms so that it stretches to become a "baton", (a French
word that graphically describes the shape).  Place the pieces side by side
on the baking sheet.

Second Rising (40 Minutes)
Cover the loaves with wax paper.  Leave until the loaves doubled in bulk
(about 40 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees about 20 minutes before baking.
(If using a convection oven, reduce heat 40 degrees).

Baking (40 minutes)
Rye loaves should have the traditional design cut with sharp knife or
razor blade.  Carefully slash 3-4 diagonal cuts across the top of each long
loaf.  For the round loaves, cut a tic-tac-toe design or 3-4 parrallel cuts
along the tops of the loaves.

Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg-milk wash for a shiny crust (or
water for an unglazed one).  Sprinkle the moist glaze with 1 tablespoon of
caraway seeds (which will stick better to the egg glaze).

Bake loaves for about 40 minutes, or until they test done-tapping the
bottom crust yeilds a hard, hollow sound.   The loaves will be dark brown,
almost black.  If the loaves appear to be browning too quickly, cover with
a piece of foil or sack paper.  (I don't know what sack-paper is either-ez)
If using a convection oven, reduce heat 40 degrees. 

Final Step
Remove from oven and allow to cool on metal racks.  This bread keeps for a
week or more in a plastic bag and freezes for months at 0 degrees.


Serve extra thick slices toasted with butter!  

I smoked a turkey the other day-smoked turkey, toasted rye & Thousand
Island dressing.   A sandwich you'd kill for ;-)     Have fun!!!!!
                 EDDIE

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes