Not Four...
Okay, so I didn't get the photo done before my family devoured almost all of loaf #5, but what remains of it is there. Who can resist fresh-from-the-oven banana pecan bread?!?!
Yesterday, my friend Rachel at Simplicity Soup was talking and asking about bread baking. Today was bread baking day at our house, so I thought I would post photos of all our efforts. I also e-mailed her a simple bread recipe and then decided I should share it with anyone else wanting a great, simple honey whole-wheat bread recipe. Enjoy!
Simple (Honest!) Honey Whole-Wheat Bread
yields: 3 delicious loaves
3 C warm water
2 pkgs active dry yeast (or about 5 tsp)
1/3 C honey
5 C bread flour
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 C honey (yes, another 1/3 C)
1 Tbsp. salt
3 1/2 C whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp butter, melted (yes, another 2 T.)
In a large bowl, mix warm water and yeast with honey. Let sit to proof for 5 minutes. Stir in 5 C bread four. Cover with dish towel and let rise approx. 30 minutes or until large and bubbly (mine doesn't always look particularly bubbly). Mix in 3 Tbsp. melted butter, 1/3 C honey and salt. Stir in 2 C of whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead dough with an additional 1-2 C whole wheat flour until slightly sticky and beginning to pull away from surface. Place in a greased bowl and turn once to coat. Cover with dish towel and let rise until doubled.
Punch down and divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape into loaves (I like a rustic looking loaf) and place in greased 9X5 inch loaf pans. Let rise until dough rises 1 inch above pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and brush tops with melted butter to prevent crust from over hardening. Cool before cutting (if you can possibly resist!) Enjoy!
2 comments:
Yummy!! I'm pretty sure I've had this bread from you, and it's very good!! I'll have to try the proofing thing--I've never done a bread recipe that proofs with some of the flour first.
The actual "proofing" of yeast happens in the first 5-10 minutes that the yeast comes into contact with heat and sugar. The original recipe called to put the flour in at the very beginning, but I never feel comfortable doing that since it would such a waste of flour if the yeast is bad. I made it into 2 separate steps to be sure.
I think I gave you some of this bread, too, and you just might find some more at your doorstep later today!
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