Honey White Bread
By: Stephanie Jobst
Published: Friday, December 31, 2010 - 3:43pm

Ingredients




2 cups milk
1/4 cup (½ stick) butter
1 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water
11 cups bread flour (approximately)
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water, 110 degrees F
1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Preparation

1 Grease four 9-inch loaf pans. 2 Combine milk, honey, butter and salt in a saucepan. 3 Bring to scalding temperature – nearly to a boil, at 185 degrees F. 4 Put the scalded mixture into a bowl and add the 2 cups water. Add 1 cup flour. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup water with sugar or honey. Let sit to proof, approximately 5 minutes. When the yeast is foamy, it is ready to add to the lukewarm milk mixture. 5 Add the rest of your flour, or enough to make a workable dough and knead for 10 minutes, or five minutes in your stand mixer. Both are pretty satisfying… if you have a stand mixer, it means you don’t have to do the kneading yourself. If you don’t have a stand mixer, or if you truly enjoy the process of kneading, then you get the pleasure of taking out your frustrations on bread dough! 6 Place dough in a large bowl which has been greased or sprayed with PAM. turn the dough over so that the top of your dough has a slight coating of greae or PAM, then allow to rise in a warm place until approximately double in size. I put mine in the oven because I have a “proofing” option. 7 When the dough has risen, punch it down. Trust me, it’s very satisfying. Let it rise again. 8 After your second rising, divide dough into four loaves, placing the loaves in your previously greased pans. Again, allow to rise until nearly double. While the dough is rising preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. When your loaves are ready, bake in preheated oven for approximately 1 hour until they are a crusty brown and sound hollow when you tap on the top of the loaf. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool them on racks. Enjoy your beautiful homemade bread!