This is a very good, light bread.  The author says it is imperative that you use the Graham flour to achieve exactly the right taste that her grandmother did. 

I found my Graham flour in Wal-mart.

I really like doing the two balls in one pan which allows you to just pull one half off when needed.

MEMO’S BROWN BREAD

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 envelope active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water (110 – 115 degrees)

2 ½ cups potato water*

1 Tablespoon salt

3 Tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup shortening

3 ½ -4½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups Hodgson Mill graham flour

 

PROCEDURES:

Sprinkle the yeast on the ¼ cup warm water. Stir to dissolve and set aside.

Place sugar, salt and shortening in a mixing bowl and pour hot potato waterover it. The potato water should be about the temperature of a baby’s bottle, warm to the touch. Too hot will kill the yeast.

Stir 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour into the bowl containing the salt, sugar, shortening and potato water. Stir to make a thin batter.

Add the yeast mixture and beat well.

Then add the 1½ cups of Graham flour and mix well.

Add in the remaining all-purpose flour – 1 to 2 cups – until it can be handled on a floured surface without sticking. Knead in more flour until you have a smooth ball that no longer sticks to the counter.

Place in a greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. Cover and let rise until it doubles, about 1½ hours.

Punch down. Turn onto floured board or counter and divide in half. Divide each half into half again. (You can omit this step and just form into two loaves.)

Form the four portions into balls and let rest about 10 minutes.

Place two balls (or the shaped loaves) in a greased loaf pan. Cover with cloth or plastic and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan on the side and the top of the each ball is well rounded – about 1¼ hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, rotating halfway through, if necessary.

Cover the loaves loosely with a sheet of foil the last 20 minutes, if necessary, to prevent excessive browning. Makes two loaves.

Brush melted butter over top of loaves upon removing from oven. Allow to cool.

*(Peel and slice, very thinly, one small potato and boil in 4 cups of water.

This usually takes about 15 minutes. Then mash the potatoes in the water.

Usually the remaining water and the mashed potato makes the required 2½ cups of potato water. If not, add enough water to make the required amount.)