Black Bread - Untested

From Sundays at Moosewood, pg 238-9

• I wonder if I can use this recipe to make the Commons Bread? Also, the Moosewood instructions are annoyingly exacting, and I will be simplifying them.

Yields 2 loaves

2 medium potatoes, quartered

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3oz unsweetened chocolate

2 Tbsps. butter or veg oil

1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap or treacle)

3 1/2 Tbsps. mild honey

2 tsps. caraway seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cup fresh brewed coffee

2 Tbsps. dry active yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 tsp sugar

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1 cup cornmeal

2 cups rye flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups white flour

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. molasses combined with 1 Tbsp. water

1. Boil the potatoes until soft. Drain the potatoes, reserving a cup of potato water.
2. Mash the potatoes with a fork or masher to yield one cup.
3. In a small saucepan melt the chocolate and butter on low heat, stirring constantly. In a large bowl combine the melted chocolate with the mashed potatoes. Add the molasses, honey, caraway seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, coffee, and the cup of reserved potato water. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a small bowl combine the yeast, warm water, and one tsp sugar. Set aside until the yeast bubbles, about 5 minutes.
5. Pour the activated yeast into the cooled potato mixture and combine. Add the cornmeal, rye flour, whole wheat flour, white flour and salt. Mix well. The dough will be somewhat lumpy. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, clean, dry and butter or oil the large bowl.
6. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, adding more white flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Form it into a ball, place it in the buttered bowl, and turn it to coat all sides. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 1.5 hours. Knead gently for one minute and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes. Form the dough into two round loaves and place them in buttered 9" round pie pans or on a large baking sheet. Cover them and let rise until almost doubled, about 1/2 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 350F.
8. Brush the loaves with the molasses and water glaze. With a sharp knife, cut a shallow X in the top of each loaf. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
9. This bread is rich and moist. It is wonderful with sweet butter, a sharp cheese, or with souop.
10. VARIATION: If you would like a sweeter, dessert bread, just increase the honey or sugar by 1 Tbsp., add 1/4 cup currants, and omit the caraway seeds.