This recipe won first place in the “Whole Wheat Bread” class and “Best in Category” for yeast breads.
2 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup raisins
2 packages (2 tablespoons) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2-1/2 cups white flour, divided
3 cups whole-wheat flour, divided
1-1/2 cups rye flour, divided
1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
In a blender, combine the 2 cups water, oil, 1/2 cup honey, and raisins. Process to liquefy. In a small bowl, soften the yeast in the warm water and remaining 1 tablespoon honey. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the white flour, 2 cups of the whole-wheat flour, 1 cup of the rye flour, the water-raisin mixture, and the yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups white flour, 1 cup whole-wheat flour, and 1/2 cup rye flour, powdered milk, and salt. Mix until the dough is soft and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Punch the dough down and divide in half. Shape each piece into a rounded loaf. Place on a greased baking sheet and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 35 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped on top.