Milk and Honey White Bread

[kitchenelf]

Milk and Honey White Bread

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F.)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. salt
8 to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in the warmed milk. Add the honey, melted butter, salt and 5 cups of flour; beat until smooth.

Add enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (approximately 1 hour).

Deflate dough and shape into two loaves. Place in a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans and let rise again until doubled. Should take about 30 minutes.

Bake at 375°F for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. If bread begins to brown too much cover tops with foil. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 loaves

[oldcoot]

Doggone it, "Elf, try as I might I can't find where that honey came from you mention mixing with the milk. :D

Have you knoticed all white bread recipes are essentially identical? Your reciipe above will make a perfectly good French loaf by merely changing from milk to water. and leaving out the butter. For Italian, substitue olive oil for the butter. The variations on the basic recipe are almost endless.

[kitchenelf]

I finally found the honey oldcoot!!!! LOL

If you were going to make this with some whole wheat - how much would you add oldcoot? I've gotten one suggestion but I want to hear yours too.

[oldcoot]

Better late than never? Well, maybe not. I keep forgetting to read these other subjects. Sorry, 'Elf.


As to your question, all the recipes I've come across for wheat bread use equal amounts of wheat and whole wheat flours. I made one loaf that way and it wass O.K.

[daisy]

How would you adapt this recipe to make in a bread machine? It sounds good.

[Konditor]

It is important to use a strong-flavoured honey when making a honey-&-milk bread so that the loaf is fully redolent with the honey's goodness.

1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
3 Tbsp lukewarm water
4 fl. oz. gently scaled whole milk
2 fl. oz. orange-blossom honey
2 oz. butter
1 large egg
2 cups bread flour
zest of an orange or lemon
1 fl. oz. honey
¼ cup chopped pecans

Proof yeast in sugared water. Add butter and first measure of honey to scalded milk. Stir in melted butter. Let stand till lukewarm. Add beaten egg. Check temperature; add stirred-down proofed yeast and citrus zest. Beat well in bowl of stand mixer, using dough hook. Cover and let rise till double in bulk.

Stir down; pour half of batter-like dough into well-greased 8- x 8-inch cake pan. Drizzle the remaining honey over the batter and sprinkle with the pecans. Pour on second half of batter, smoothing to cover the honey & nuts. Let rise until nearly double. Bake about 35 minutes in 375° oven. Cool. Spread with honey butter (purchased ready-mixed or made by creaming together equal amounts of honey and softened butter together in a mini food processor.

[Konditor]

Kitchenelf: Further to your inquiry about using whole-wheat flour in a milk-&-honey bread, I’m pleased to share my own recipe. I like to bake mine in a 12-cup casserole dish – but you may prefer to use two regular 8- x 4-inch loaf pans. Buckwheat is one of my favourite honeys to use in this bread; alfalfa or clover would also be suitable.

8 fl. oz. milk
½ cup vegetable shortening
4 fl. oz. liquid honey
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar (or honey)
8 fl. oz. warm water
2 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
approx. 4 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached hard-wheat, i.e., ‘bread’ flour)

In small saucepan, gently scald milk. Remove from heat and add shortening, honey, and salt, stirring until shortening melts. Cool to lukewarm.

In mixing bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water; sprinkle yeast over and let stand until foamy, 5-8 minutes. Add cooled milk-honey mixture, eggs, whole-wheat flour and 1 cup bread flour. Beat for 2 minutes on stand mixer. Using wooden spoon, gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft sticky dough; use your hands to work in the last of the flour on a work surface.

Place dough in an oil bowl, turning to coat; cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Push down dough until flattened. Turn into the greased pans. Let rise until almost doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake in 375° oven for 50-60 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when tapped with knuckles. (I test for doneness by sliding a thin-bladed knife a couple of inches through the center of the bottom: only the barest moisture should remain on the withdrawn blade.)

For a glazed top, brush it lightly with warmed honey while the loaf is still hot.