WHOLE WHEAT FENNEL BREAD

Steps:

• Grease large bowl and set aside.
• Combine first 3 ingredients (molasses-salt) in large bowl.
• Add hot water and beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
• Add 2 cups white flour and 4 cups whole wheat flour, blending at medium speed or stirring with a wooden spoon until well blended.
• Add dissolved yeast and fennel.
• Stir in enough remaining white flour to make a stiff dough.
• Gather dough into a ball and transfer to floured bread board and knead for several minutes.
• Gather into ball and put in prepared greased bowl, turning to coat both sides of ball.
• Cover with plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise in draft-free area (I use an unheated microwave) for about 2 hours or until doubled.
• Punch dough down and reshape into ball.
• Let rise again until double (1 hour).
• Grease 12-cup bundt pan and set aside.
• Turn dough onto floured bread board and roll into a cylinder (24 inches long).
• Put cylinder in prepared pan, pinching ends together to seal.
• Let rise for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375- degree oven.
• Bake loaf for 1 hour or unti lightly browned.
• Let cool on rack before slicing.