MALTEX BREAD WITH SOY MILK

MALTEX BREAD

¾ cup Maltex

1 tbsp. honey

1¼ cup boiling water

1 cup soy milk

1 tbsp. salt

1½ tbsp. dry yeast

4-6 cups all-purpose or bread flour

inc. ¼ cup cornmeal if desired

¾ cup dried currants or raisins

Pour boiling water over Maltex, and mix in. Cover with a plate, and leave to cool. When lukewarm, mix in the soy milk, salt, and yeast, then the flour, until an elastic dough is formed, that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto kneading surface floured with a half-cup flour, and knead flour in until the dough is just stiff enough to knead properly. Knead 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form into a ball.

Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place the ball of dough in it, and turn the dough to coat it with oil on all sides. Cover and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down and turn out. Cut in half, roll out each half, sprinkle with the raisins or currants, if desired, roll up the two halves, and shape into two loaves. Let the loaves rest a few minutes while you spray two 8½ x 4½ x 2½ bread pans. Dust the pans with cornmeal, place the loaves in them, cover and set to rise again until almost doubled in bulk, or until the tops are rounded above the rims of the pans.

Pre-heat oven to 425°. Brush the tops of the loaves with water, and cut one or two slashes into the tops with a razor blade or very sharp knife. Bake for about 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature setting to 350°, and continue baking for about 20 minutes, or until the tops sound hollow when rapped with a wooden spoon. Turn out of the pans and bake for a few more minutes directly on the oven rack. Remove to cool on a rack. Do not slice until thoroughly cool, preferably the next day.