Yeasted Carrot Sandwich Bread

Molly asked me to send her some bread recipes for her to try out with her shiny red Kitchen Aid mixer. I decided to go ahead and post them here in case anyone else is interested.

This recipe is from my ancient copy of Jane Brody's Good Food Book. (Obviously, it is older than the carbs-are-bad-craze.) I have found a number of fantastic recipes in it, including her Orange-Carrot Bread (p.571)

Orange-Carrot Bread

I prefer to leave out the orange-flavored ingredients, choosing instead for the subtle carrot flavor stand alone.

2 cups orange juice or warm water (105-115 degrees)

2 tsp sugar

1 package yeast (1 scant tbsp)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup oil

2 tsp grated orange rind (omit)

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups finely grated carrots (4 medium-large)

2 eggs

3 cups whole-wheat flour

1. In a small bowl, stir together orange juice/water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside while mixing the next ingredients.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the honey, oil, orange rind (if desired), salt, and 1 cup of the white flour. Add the yeast mixture, carrots, and eggs, and mix the ingredients thoroughly.

3. Switch to the dough hook and mix in the whole-wheat flour and 3 cups of the white flour. Knead on medium speed (# 4 on a Kitchen Aid - watch carefully to be sure it doesn't walk off the counter top) for 6 minutes.

4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning the dough to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and set the dough in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk (1 to 1 1/2 hours).

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the rack.

6. Gently punch down the dough and divide it in half. Form each half into a loaf, and place the loaves in prepared loaf pans (either greased-well or lined with a parchment paper sling, my preference). Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap, and place them in a warm place for another 30 -40 minutes, or until the dough reaches the top of the pans.

7. Put the loaf pans directly on the pizza stone or rack and bake for 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle reads 190 degrees.

Resist the urge to cut into it until it has completely cooled. The bread continues to cook when you pull it out of the oven, and cutting into it prematurely affects the texture.

But, the recipe does make 2 loaves if you just can't wait :-)