Shredded Wheat Bread

This is my mothers recipe that she has been making for years. I do not know where she got it from, but I love it and still ask her to make it for me when I am visiting. Cooking time is approx. Does not include rising time.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 2  fresh yeast cakes
• 2  shredded wheat biscuits
• 1  cup  scalded milk
• 1  cup  lukewarm water
• 1⁄2 cup molasses
• 3  teaspoons shortening
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 5  tablespoons  packed brown sugar
• 6  cups flour (approx)
• 1  cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Crumble shredded wheat and add molasses, shortening, salt and brown sugar.
2. Combine scalded milk and lukewarm water and let stand until it becomes lukewarm. Pour over shredded wheat mixture.
3. Dissolve the 2 yeast cakes in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. Add to other ingredients.
4. Add flour. Flour measurement is just approx, as neither my mother nor I have ever measured it when making bread - we go by the "feel" of it.
5. NOTE: If adding raisins, lightly flour them first and add them after a bit of flour has been beaten into the batter, but not all of it.
6. This recipe can be easily doubled, however DO NOT increase the amount of yeast.
7. IMPORTANT: This bread needs to rise TWICE before being placed in the pans to rise a 3rd time.
8. Punch down. Let rise a 2nd time. Punch down again and form into 2 loaves and place into greased and floured bread forms. Let rise again until doubled.
9. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until hollow when tapped on the bottom.