Starving Students Healthy Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups , warm (not boiling... but hot enough that you can immerse your hand in it without screaming) or hot water (not boiling... but hot enough that you can immerse your hand in it without screaming)
• 1 tablespoon instant granulated yeast
• 3 tablespoons raw sugar, ... this is completely optional (or 1-2 tbsp of honey, it just makes it slightly sweet)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups flour

• 2 cups white flour
• 2 cups wholemeal flour (this is arbitrary, you can use all white bread or all wholemeal bread... the outcome of the bread is dependent on the protein content of the flour... all wholemeal flour bread will be heavy and dense and won't rise very much whereas all white flour br)

Directions

1. 1

   In a bowl put water, salt and sugar (or honey) and mix to dissolve.

2. 2

   Sprinkle yeast on top (DO NOT STIR - just let it sit there) wait until you see goopy bubbles form (or just wait 10 minutes).

3. 3

   Add flour and mix well (use your hands and add 1/2 the flour at a time) at this stage you can add any seeds you like -- pumpkin seeds are really good, so is linseed/flax, (soaked) rolled oats etc --

4. 4

   Once your dough is well mixed (don't take it out and knead it yet) and in a nice round ball, cover with a teatowel and place in a nice warm area to rise. (if your apartment is warm then that will do -- if not, turn your oven on low for 20 minutes then turn it OFF and put the bowl in there to keep warm.).

5. 5

   Once the dough has doubled in size (approx 1 hour) take out, and knead! Knead for about 5 -6 minutes on a floured surface or until its firm again and in a nice ball -- rise again (it will only take about 30 - 45 minutes this time) Once it has risen for the 2nd time, knead lightly (don't get the dough too hard now) and cut/tear into even amounts to form as many buns as you would like -- they rise quite a bit in the oven so keep that in mind!

6. 6

   Alternatively, you can let the dough rise overnight, knead in the morning, rise for an hour or so, knead (lightly) & make into balls and bake it like that. (it will be slightly lighter and tastier- especially if you use honey) -- yet another alternative is to just let it rise as long as you like, then knead it and let it rise again -- then knead it etc -- it doesn't really matter. The longer the dough sits & rises, the tastier it will be.

7. 7

   Place rolls onto a oiled cookie tray or baking stone and cook for 20 - 30 minutes @ 175°C (350 °F) on the LOW rack (if the element is on the top) -- you may choose to put them on the middle rack near the end to get the top nice and brown. Tap the bottom of the buns, they should sound hollow when done.

8. 8

   ENJOY!