COMMUNION BREAD

From Nancy Serfass
Luther Seminary
St. Paul, MN

			Yield:  4 loaves approximately 8 oz each
			Each loaf serves approx 80-100 people

1)	 Sift dry ingredients 3 times:
 2 cups whole wheat flour
 1 cup white flour
 1  teaspoon baking powder
1	teaspoon salt

2)	 Cut in 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil

3)	 Add:
 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons very hot water
 3 Tablespoons honey
2	Tablespoons molasses

4)	 Mix well.  Dough should be a bit sticky.

5)	 With scraper, scrape onto floured surface and work
       a LITTLE flour into dough so can shape into ball.
       With knife, cut into 4 equal portions.

6)	 Roll each portion into a 5-6 inch circle (1/2 inch thick)

7)	 With a knife, mark each with a cross

8)	 Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

9)	  Remove from oven and brush with oil

10)	  Bake an additional 5-8 minutes more

11)	  Remove from oven and cool

Comments from Phyllis Beastrom, Ellsworth, WI:

When I make this, I don’t sift the dry ingredients three times.  I use a KitchenAid mixer and I will briefly mix the dry ingredients before adding the liquid.   I do not precisely measure the liquids so I’m sure I add at least a teaspoon more of each of the liquids.  I add all the liquids at once (I don’t do the oil separately).  After adding the liquids, I beat with my mixer for 30 seconds.  As stated above, I put the dough on a lightly floured surface and work a little white flour into the dough to make it manageable.   I usually roll it out with a rolling pin, but I have also flattened, worked, and shaped the dough with my hands and it gets just as good.   I always use my hands to shape into rounds (the dough is soft and pliable and shapes easily).   I bake all four loaves on an air type cookie sheet, which I have sprayed with cooking spray.  After baking 10 minutes, I brush on the oil and bake another 5 minutes.   I’ve never used regular cookie sheets but with regular cookie sheets I would probably bake for 8 minutes and then an additional 4 minutes.  You don’t want to overbake this bread.

This communion bread is moist and needs to be refrigerated if not used right away as it doesn’t take long before it starts to mold.  It freezes very well.

There’s a similar recipe on page 186 of Sundays and Seasons, Worship Planning Guide, Cycle B, 1996-1997, published by Augsburg Fortress.