A combination of two recipes - whole wheat bread and rye bread, but without the rye flour. It's really then a whole wheat bread sweetened with molasses, darkened with cocoa, and seasoned with fennel and caraway seeds.

Makes two loaves.

2 packages active dry yeast
3 T. sugar
3 T. molasses
1 T. salt
2 T. fennel seeds
2 T. caraway seeds
1-1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. mashed potato (plain - without milk or seasonings)
2-1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 c. bread flour

glaze:
1 T. molasses mixed with 1 T. water

In a large mixer bowl, combine all the ingredients in the order given, but reserve 1 cup of the bread flour. Mix well for 5 minutes. Gradually blend in the rest of the bread flour, using as much as needed to make a workable dough. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until dough doubles in side, approximately 2 hours.

Punch dough down very thoroughly to break up any large air holes that might have developed. Form into a smooth ball and place in the regreased bowl. Allow dough to rise until it doubles again in size, approximately 1-1/2 hours.

Punch dough down again, cut in half and form into 2 loaves. Place loaves in greased loaf pans [8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 in.]. With a dinner fork, prick each loaf 8 times, plunging the fork all the way down to the bottom of the pan; this keeps those nasty air bubbles from forming. Cover the loaves with a tea towel and let rise until they are double in size, approximately 45-60 minutes.