Banana Maple Whole Wheat Bread

  Start with a large bowl.

5 cups warm water

2 tbs yeast (quick rise if available)

stir a little or use a whisk quickly

add

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 egg

4 tbs olive oil

1 tbs salt

6 ripe bananas

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Use a mixer to mix the bananas and the rest of the ingredients already added.

10 cups whole wheat flour

mix by hand or sturdy spoon

on a clean flat non porous surface place

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats and 6 cups whole wheat flour

Place dough on top of the rolled oats and flour.  Smooth the flour and oats out a bit so the dough can be placed completely on flour and oats for kneading.

Kneed by hand for 10 minutes (you will may need to add another  1 cup of whole wheat flour as you kneed.  Fill a cup of whole wheat flour and have it on hand to make it easier)

For kneading, I like to fold in half, turn a little, and fold in half again.  If you knead :-) to get some frustrations out, you can also periodically punch and pound on the dough.  Keep folding, and turning  and after 10 minutes you should be able to have a nice ball to put back into the bowl.

Roll into a ball and place back in the bowl  (it's fine if you do not get all the wet dough out when you place it on the surface for kneading because when you put the ball back in the bowl, it will pick up the rest that was left previously.

If your surface doesn't have any flour left after you have been kneading and put the ball back into the bowl, add about 1 for the next step. Spread the flour out on the surface.

cover with towel and let rise for 1 hour

Remove from bowl, placing on the flour and lightly sprinkle with more flour on all of the top.  Divide into 6 fairly equal parts with a knife but there is no need to cut to the bottom... pull apart.

roll each of the parts into oblong balls to fit into sprayed or oiled bread pans.

cover all bread pans with a towel and let rise for 1 hour

place into oven preheated to 400 and bake for 30 to 35 minutes

remove bread and allow to cool on a rack or board...be careful not to burn yourself, use oven mitts