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The recipe contains soy flour, and so requires only one rising after the sponge is mixed into dough, before the loaves are shaped. You can substitute garbanzo flour for the soy, or use this recipe to adapt other, non-soy recipes to the Busy People’s pattern. When you use a recipe that does not include soy, the dough will ripen more slowly, so your bread will be better if you let the full dough rise a second time in the bowl before you shape the loaves.

As everyone knows, it is much easier to measure out ingredients when you have some peace and quiet and can concentrate on what you’re doing. We like to set up all the ingredients the night before, so that mixing can be on automatic pilot, so to say, first thing in the morning. That way you never forget the salt, and the raisins are cool when you need them.

The slow option takes from 3 to 5 hours in the sponge, and about 1 ½ hours to rise once the dough is mixed, with a final proof time of approximately 45 minutes. The fast option takes about 1 ½ hours in the sponge and about 1 hour once the dough is mixed. Its proof time is a little shorter, too; either option can be speeded up in the last stages if you want to do that; both take a little less than an hour to bake. Which timing you choose depends on your own schedule, but the more leisurely rise gives the bread better flavor and keeping quality, and is more forgiving if your own timing is off a little.

Busy People’s Bread Recipe

SLOW OPTION

Sponge: 3 hours

Dough: 1 ½ hours to rise ¾ hour to proof

SPONGE

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (¼ oz or 7 g)

½ cup warm water (120 ml)

3 tablespoons honey (45 ml)

1 ¼ cups tepid water (300 ml)

4 ½ cups whole wheat bread flour (675 g)

6 tablespoons milk powder (45 g)

DOUGH

1 cup warm water (235 ml)

1 cup whole wheat flour (150 g)

⅓ cup soy flour (23 g)

1 tablespoon salt (16.5 g)

2 tablespoons butter (28 g)

1 cup raisins (145 g)

TO MAKE THE SPONGE

Using the sponge ingredients from either the fast or slow options, dissolve the yeast in the warm water, and the honey in the other water measure. Stir the flour and milk powder together and then add the liquids, mixing to make a stiff dough for the slow sponge, a soft dough for the fast sponge. Knead briefly, about 5 minutes—long enough so the dough has the strength to hold in the gas, but not so long that the gluten is fully developed. Put the slow sponge in a cool place to rise, about 70°F, the fast sponge in a warm place, 80°F.

Steam the raisins about 5 minutes, allowing them an hour or more to cool before you add them to the full dough.

TO MAKE THE DOUGH

Soften the risen sponge in the dough water measure. Combine the remaining whole wheat flour, bean flour, and the salt if you haven’t added it already. Work this mixture into the sponge; an efficient way to do this is to squeeze them together with your fingers. Add water or flour as required to make the dough soft, but not excessively soft, and continue kneading to make a smooth, elastic dough. Before the dough is fully developed, knead in the butter, then the raisins.

Form the dough into a ball and place it smooth side up in the bowl. Cover and keep in a warm, draft-free place. After about an hour and a half, gently poke the center of the dough about ½ inch deep with your wet finger. If the hole doesn’t fill in at all or if the dough sighs, it is ready for the next step.

Press the dough flat and divide in two. Round it and let it rest until relaxed, then deflate and shape into loaves. Place in greased 8″ 4″ loaf pans and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until they arch over the tops of the pans and the dough slowly returns a gently made fingerprint. Bake about an hour at 350°F.

FAST OPTION

Sponge: 1 ½ hours

Dough: 1 hour to rise ½ hour to proof

SPONGE

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (¼ oz or 7 g)

½ cup warm water (120 ml)

3 tablespoons honey (45 ml)

1 ½ cups warm water (350 ml)

4 cups whole wheat bread flour (600 g)

6 tablespoons milk powder (45 g)

DOUGH

¾ cup warm water