Outback Honey Wheat Bushman Bread (from Copycat Recipes)
Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 cups bread flour
1 2/3 cups wheat flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast
Coloring:
1/4 cup water
75 drops red food coloring
45 drops blue food coloring
30 drops yellow food coloring
cornmeal for dusting
If using a bread machine, add all of the ingredients for the dough in the exact
order listed into the pan of your machine. Set it on "knead" and when the
machine begins to mix the dough, combine the food coloring with 1/4 cup of water
and drizzle it into the mixture as it combines. After the dough is created let
it rest to rise for an hour or so. Then remove it from the pan.
If you are not using a bread machine, combine the flours, cocoa, sugar, coffee
and salt in large bowl. Make a depression or "well" in the middle of the dry
mixture. Pour the warm water into this "well," then add the butter, honey and
yeast. Combine the food coloring drops with 1/4 cup of water and add that to the
"well." Slowly mix the ingredients with a spoon, drawing the dry ingredients
into the wet. When you can handle the dough, begin to combine it by hand,
kneading the dough thoroughly for at least ten minutes, until it is very smooth
and has a consistent color. Set the dough into a covered bowl in a warm place
for an hour, to allow it to rise.
When the dough has risen to about double in size, punch it down and divide it
into 8 even portions (divide dough in half, divide those halves in half, and
then once more). Form the portions into tubular shaped loaves about 8 inches
long and 2 inches wide. Sprinkle the entire surface of the loaves with cornmeal
and place them on a cookie sheet, or two. Cover the cookie sheet(s) with plastic
wrap and let the dough rise once more for another hour in a warm location.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it for 20-24 minutes
in the hot oven. Loaves should begin to darken slightly on top when done. Serve
warm with a sharp bread knife and butter on the side. If you want whipped
butter, like you get at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed
to whip some butter until it's fluffy.
Makes 8 small loaves.
It is normal for this dough to be a bit tacky and to seem somewhat thin. Just be
sure to add plenty of flour to your hands and work surface when working with the
dough to prevent sticking. If you are able to find caramel color (It's available
from the King Arthur Flour catalog), you can use that rather than the food
coloring formula described in the recipe. Just measure 1 tablespoon of caramel
color into the dough mixture where the recipe uses food coloring and water.