Honey Wheat Bread

This bread is made with whole wheat flour, honey and cottage cheese. The cottage cheese disappears into the bread and makes it light, soft, and moist. Honey adds just the right amount of sweetness to these golden brown loaves and helps them bake up to be full of flavor.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 1  cup water
• 1  cup small curd cottage cheese
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 1  egg (room temperature)
• 2  cups whole wheat flour
• 4 1⁄2-5  cups all-purpose flour
• 3  teaspoons salt
• 2 (1/4ounce) packages dry yeast
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  tepid water (to dissolve yeast in) or 1⁄2 cup warm water (to dissolve yeast in)

Directions

1. Heat 1 cup water, cottage cheese, 3 teaspoons salt and honey until hot (not boiling).
2. Add shortening.
3. Let cool until just warm to the touch and stir in 1 beaten egg.
4. While cottage cheese mixture is cooling, add 2 packages yeast to 1/2 cup warm water mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar.
5. Stir until yeast is dissolved and let sit 10 minutes for yeast to rise.
6. Mix 2 cups whole wheat flour into cottage cheese, salt, honey, egg mixture.
7. Add dissolved yeast and stir well.
8. Mix 4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour to make a stiff dough.
9. Knead until smooth and elastic.
10. Put in a large greased bowl and let rise until double.
11. Punch down dough and shape into 2 loaves.
12. Let rise again until double.
13. Then bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
14. Remove loaves from oven and let cool.
15. Brush warm loaves with a mixture of honey and butter for a soft crust.