Yesterdays bread making was an astounding success. Mountain White Bread made with honey and butter. Be prepared though , The aroma will linger and make you crazy. The whole house still smelled like fresh baked bread when I got up this morning. It is also the most sliceable bread I have ever made. It is yeasty and tangy, buttery and slightly sweet. I brushed a small amount of milk on the dough right before I put it in the oven so the crust is flaky but not too chewy.
Mountain White Bread
You will need:
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt (if you use salted butter I would cut it down to 3/4 tablespoon salt)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (around 105 degrees)
5 1/2 to 6 cups all purpose flour
1. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar and water together in the large bowl you intend to make the bread in, stir gently and set aside to proof. In 10 minutes if your yeast mix is foamy then you are good to go.
2. In a separate bowl mix your honey, butter (melt your butter first), salt ,milk and 1 cup of your flour
3. When your yeast mix is foamy add the milk and butter mixture to it . If you are doing it by hand, whisk it together. If you are using a mixer, I recommend a low setting.
4. Add the rest of your flour to the mixture slowly, 1 cup at a time.
This bread requires a great deal of kneading, so once you have a nice smooth dough continue kneading for another 5 or 6 minutes.
5. Put dough in large, lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a wet clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. When dough has risen to double in size, remove from bowl and knead for about 5 more minutes.
7 . Split dough in half , shape into loaves and place in oiled bread pans.
8. Make a 1/4 inch slit down middle of dough and put in warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 375
10. Place on middle rack and bake for 45 minutes or until bread is golden brown. (mine was done in 30 minutes so keep an eye on it.)
Here are some pretty pictures, I wanted you to be able to see the texture!
Mountain White Bread
You will need:
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt (if you use salted butter I would cut it down to 3/4 tablespoon salt)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (around 105 degrees)
5 1/2 to 6 cups all purpose flour
1. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar and water together in the large bowl you intend to make the bread in, stir gently and set aside to proof. In 10 minutes if your yeast mix is foamy then you are good to go.
2. In a separate bowl mix your honey, butter (melt your butter first), salt ,milk and 1 cup of your flour
3. When your yeast mix is foamy add the milk and butter mixture to it . If you are doing it by hand, whisk it together. If you are using a mixer, I recommend a low setting.
4. Add the rest of your flour to the mixture slowly, 1 cup at a time.
This bread requires a great deal of kneading, so once you have a nice smooth dough continue kneading for another 5 or 6 minutes.
5. Put dough in large, lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap or a wet clean towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. When dough has risen to double in size, remove from bowl and knead for about 5 more minutes.
7 . Split dough in half , shape into loaves and place in oiled bread pans.
8. Make a 1/4 inch slit down middle of dough and put in warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 375
10. Place on middle rack and bake for 45 minutes or until bread is golden brown. (mine was done in 30 minutes so keep an eye on it.)
Here are some pretty pictures, I wanted you to be able to see the texture!
