Bread  Makers

The parish minister of bread baking has a unique opportunity to prepare a very special food which is intended to nourish both body and soul of each and every person who comes to Jesus' table.  This ordinary bread, the work of human hands, becomes the center of our conjoined prayer in the hands of our presider, and becomes that holy and living sacrifice, Jesus Christ, given up to become our sustenance.  We who gather at that table are similarly transformed in that same act and become both the nourished and the nourisher of one another, fulfilling God's command that we love one another as he has loved us.  We who bake the eucharistic bread are doubly involved in that miraculous transformation before, during and after the sacred, central action of our Mass.

When we lovingly prepare a substantial bread with height, weight, texture, substance and the appearance of a single, common loaf from which we all partake, we understand in an organic, embodied way that words can only hint at, that we are fed from one source, the same source, Jesus Christ.  We see that no one who approaches Jesus for spiritual sustenance goes away hungry.  We taste that the bread broken and shared is truly bread.

When we gather together in Christ's name, there is one thing we must always do together - pray to our gracious Creator.  When ministers of bread baking gather they may pray this special prayer, based on the prayer written by Dorothy Huseman of St. Edward Parish in Lowell.

Wheat-and-Water Eucharistic Bread Recipe

Adapted from a recipe created by Deacon Bill Mallory of Halley, Idaho.

Makes five to six 40 piece loaves.
(One batch serves 240 people)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1 1/2 cups hot water

Note:  Have on hand an additional amount of wheat flour for rolling out the dough.

Directions

1. Use an electric mixer, with a dough hook if at all possible, as it will do some of the kneading for you.  However, a portable mixer will suffice, as will hand mixing.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Measure both flours and sift together into mixer bowl.

4. Measure hot water (as hot as it comes from the tap) and slowly add to the flour, mixer running.  Be precise.  Mix until all the flour is gathered in and the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.

5. Place dough on a floured surface and knead for 5 to 6 minutes.

Kneading: The kneading motion consists of folding the dough back on itself and pushing with the heels of the hands.  This is repeated with a rhythmic motion until the surface of the dough feels smooth and satiny.  (Knead 3 times, turn a quarter turn, knead 3 times, turn a quarter turn, etc.  Repeat 5 to 6 minutes.)  Add flour to kneading surface as needed (sparingly).  Full kneading time is needed to prevent puffing and ballooning during baking to make it "bread like".

6. When the dough is smooth and pliable, form the dough into a ball, cover it with a dampened clean cloth and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

Shaping and Scoring

1. Divide dough into 6 equal portions.  Rollout dough on floured surface to a 3/8 to 1/2 inch thickness and at least 4 inches across.  Score one loaf and transfer to baking sheet.

SCORING:

2. Using the diagram shown below, score the loaf.  The cross scoring is done with a thick or blunt edge blade.  Score deeply so as to facilitate the fracturing process.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove baking sheet from oven and lightly brush loaves, remove loose flour.  Place sheet back in oven and bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer loaves to another surface that is covered with paper toweling.

4. When cool, cut all loaves except one.  Wrap uncut scored loaf separately in paper toweling.  Place the cut pieces, with wrapped loaf, in a plastic baggie capable of handling them.  Bread should look like bread (not wafer-like).