Brown Honey Bread

Baking a couple loaves of bread to share with family and friends is a great way to start off the new year.  

My mother has been making her own bread for years and we enjoyed it hot from the oven as kids.  The sweet aroma of her bread baking in our Alaskan homestead cabin is a fond memory of mine.  Going to school with sandwiches made from homemade bread in the early l960’s was actually an embarrassment though!  This was because it made us different from the other kids bringing sandwiches prepared with bread from bags of commercial white sliced.  How different our attitude is today.  Thank heavens!  Also, thankfully, mother carried on with her bread baking and still is today at 93!

We have enjoyed making many of her tried and true recipes in my cooking courses over the years here in London.  Below I share brown honey bread which has been a favorite.  Each youngster takes a loaf home for his/her family to enjoy.

Ingredients: Oven:  180C/375F Makes 2 small loaves

1 1/2 cups/12 fl oz/350 ml  warm water

4 tablespoons/1/4 cup/40 g  skimmed milk powder

3 tablespoons honey  

2 teaspoons salt 

4 tablespoons/1/4 cup/2 oz/50 ml  Sunflower oil                                                                                                                       

4 cups/1 lb. 2 oz/500 g  Strong Brown Bread Four

1 package fast action dried yeast.

1. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.  
2. Tip out on a heavily floured surface and knead about 5 minutes until smooth.  Divide into two. 
3. Grease two small loaf pans, 3 x 7 inches/7 x 18 cm,  and put in each piece of dough. 
4. Cover with tea towel and let rise until double. 
5. Bake  for 30 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven onto wire rack.  Remove from pans when cool to the touch.

Note:   Rising time can be reduced with the use of a rising chamber.  This is easily assembled in your kitchen by placing the loaf pans of  
            dough on a rack over a bowl (on the counter) filled with boiling water from the kettle.  Cover with tea towels.  

© Judy Labi 2013