Big Batch Whole Wheat Raisin Bread

I have a copy of "Stocking Up" from 1977. It's a fantastic guide for preserving food and it has a lot of great recipes using produce and other healthy ingredients. I recently tried the Raisin Bread recipe from the book and the results are delicious! It makes 4 loaves so after I sliced each loaf, I wrapped 3 tightly with plastic wrap and foil and put them in the freezer. They freeze really well.

This recipe makes a slightly dense, moist loaf that makes perfect toast.

Raisin Bread (from "Stocking Up")

1 medium potato

1 quart of water

2 Tbsp. butter (I used coconut oil)

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. yeast

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup honey

11-12 cups flour (I used mostly white whole wheat and added 3 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten)

1 pound raisins

2 tsp. cinnamon

Peel potato and cut into pieces. Cook until tender in quart of water. Mash potato, return it to the water in which it was cooked, and add butter and salt. Cool until luke warm.

Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Add honey.

Add 6 cups of flour to the potato mixture (in a large bowl) , beating until smooth. Mix in the yeast. Beat thoroughly. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours.

Work in remaining flour to make a soft dough. Stir in raisins and spices. Knead until smooth on flour board. Put dough in a greased bowl and grease top. Cover and let rise until double.

Punch down, and divide into 4 portions (the book calls for 3 but I found 4 works best). Place each in an oiled loaf pan. Cover and let rise again until double. Bake in a preheated 375* oven for about 40 minutes.

This recipe has been linked up to Simple Lives Thursday.