This recipe for Acadian Bread is from the Great Canadian Bread Book by
Janice Murray Gill - my first "bread bible". The taste and texture are
exactly like Double Crusty bread which we used to be able to buy in
Montreal, but haven't seen in years. I always double this recipe, except
for the egg and salt. Two eggs change the texture completely. The vinegar
acts as a yeast enhancer, and the bread rises magnificently.
It makes the best toast in the world.
1 tbsp. active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tsps. melted and cooled lard (I use vegetable oil.)
1 tbsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp. vinegar
6 cups, approx., flour
Proof the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. When the yeast has
bubbled up well (leave at least 10 minutes), stir and add the lard, salt,
egg, and vinegar. Stir well and add the flour, beating well, until the
dough is too stiff to beat and cleans the bowl. Turn out onto lightly
floured work surface, and knead well, adding flour to keep from
sticking. When dough is smooth and elastic, place in greased bowl, cover
with plastic wrap, and let rise till double. Punch down and let rise
again. Shape into loaves and put in two greased bread pans, cover, and let
rise till double. Bake in 350 F. oven 40 minutes, approx., until it tests
done. Cool on racks.
I've made this bread in pans, free form, braided, in rolls, added bits of
jam or sweetened fruit to it in muffin tins, and it is the lightest bread I
have ever made, apart from Panettone. It is the bread of choice in my
family, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.