Makes 108 oz - 6 3/4 lb
~Combine in bosch mixer with dough hook:
38 oz warm milk
4 oz unsalted butter
4 oz honey or maple syrup or molasses
20 oz starter

Mix in:
54 oz white bread flour OR
*15 oz whole wheat and 38 oz white OR
*26 oz whole wheat and 26 oz white
2 T salt
Mix until it cleans the sides of the bowl and is a cohesive ball.

*Rest 30-60 minutes. OR to speed it up just knead with long rests during the rest period.

Optionally add:
1 t - 3 T yeast (depends on how long you have to rise and how light you want the crumb) But it is better to use an active starter and no yeast.

Knead and rest, and knead again, until it is smooth and completely cleans the bowl.

Knead for 5 min in mixer. Rest 15 min, knead another 3 min, rest 10 min. Continue until it is a strong soft springy ball.

OR Turn out onto damp counter and stretch and fold - rest an do it again - until it is strong but soft and springy.

(Use a clean spray bottle to keep dough moist.)

Rise in 2 gallon jar:
-With commercial yeast, 45 - 90 minutes until barely doubled. Be ready to form it.
-Using only starter, 6-8 hours at 70*.

Form into:
FOUR 30 oz loaves
Baked in commercial pans or regular bread pans.

I used half this recipe - 54 oz to make :
5 - 11 oz small pan loaves.

Cover with wet bread towel and rise:
-With added yeast: 30-60 minutes
-With just starter: 1-2 hours
until just crowning the top of the bread pans. If you rise too long the bread will be flat on top as it bakes, not long enough and you have a dense bit at the bottom of the loaf which you can see as you slice the bread! Tricky balance indeed.

Mist with water THEN mist again 5 minutes later. Optionally, sprinkle with flour and make slits, or just make slits in the moist dough.

Bake with steam 40-45 minutes convection bake 350* until golden brown and 200* internally.

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