Bread En Casserole

I bake this bread in a round 2.5 liter/quart CorningWare dish. The aroma is buttery, the taste is terrific, and, best of all, you don't have to get your hands dirty. The mixture of white and whole wheat flours makes for a heartier bread, but you could make it with all white as well. This recipe comes from Cooking in a Casserole (1967) by Robert Ackart.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 1 2.5 quart loaf

Ingredients

• 2 (1/4ounce) packets dry yeast
• 2  cups  warm milk
• 3  tablespoons butter, melted
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 3  cups whole wheat flour
• 1  cup white flour

Directions

1. In a warm large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. (Milk can be warmed gently in a sauce pan on range top or in microwave, but not to scalding or you will kill the yeast.).
2. Slowly add sugar, butter, salt, stirring to dissolve.
3. Add the flour, one cup at a time, and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The dough should be soft and sticky.
4. Lightly butter the sides and bottom of the casserole and pour the dough into it.
5. Cover casserole with a warm cloth, place in a warm place, and allow it to rise until double in size or until it reaches the top of the casserole.
6. Bake at 325 F for about 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped with a finger.
7. Remove from the casserole and allow to cool on a wire rack, or cool it off by placing casserole in an empty sink with drain plugged. Very carefully, allow water to trickle into sink and rise very slowly. Take casserole out of water before it reaches the top of the casserole. Serve bread in the casserole dish.