Salt Rising Bread

Total Time: 9 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 9 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon other shortening
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour (approximately)

Recipe

• 1 scald milk and cool to lukewarm.
• 2 add cornmeal, salt and sugar.
• 3 pour into covered fruit jar or pitcher and place in a pan of hot water (120f).
• 4 let stand for 6 or 7 hours or until signs of fermentation (gas bubbles) appear.
• 5 add ingredients for second sponge.
• 6 beat thoroughly.
• 7 cover again and place in pan of hot water (120f).
• 8 let rise until very light.
• 9 add remaining flour gradually until dough is stiff inough to be kneaded.
• 10 knead 10-15 minutes.
• 11 shape into two loaves and place in greased bread pans.
• 12 brush top with melted shortening.
• 13 cover and let rise until very light, more than double.
• 14 bake in a 375f oven for ten minutes, then lower to 350f for 25 to 30 minutes longer.
• 15 if more than two loaves are to be made, add the amount of ingredients listed for"second sponge", reducing the flour to one cup for each additional loaf.
• 16 add 1 5/8 cups of flour more per each additional loaf when making the dough.