Whole Wheat Bread (Myra Holt)

3/4 cup warm water
3 Tbs yeast
18 cups whole wheat flour
7 1/2 cups hot water
1 1/2 cup powder milk (opt)
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup honey or brown sugar
3 Tbs salt
3 eggs (opt)

Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup water and set aside.

Combine and beat 10 cups flour with 7 1/2 cups hot water and milk for ten minutes.  (This is a very important step to develop gluten).

Add oil, honey or brown sugar, salt, and eggs and beat until blended.  Add yeast mixture and blend

Then add 8 cups of flour.  Mix by hand.

Let rise.  Punch down and knead for about 3 minutes.  Let rise again.

Punch down and divide into loaves.  Let rest 10 minutes and shape into loaves.  Let rise until double.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes longer.

Makes 6 loaves.

* Eggs make the bread lighter.  Milk gives it more body and makes it more uniform.