Give us this day........

BREAD! We all love it, and it is one of the most therapeutic things for me to make. I absolutely love it! i look back on my culinary school time in baking class when we made baguettes and french bread that was had kneaded for 15 minutes and most of the students hated that day, but it lit a fire in me that I have never been able to put out. I love the joy of making bread my hand.

This is my most recent loaf, and it came out so good I had to share. (don't fear, the recipe will be included)

 

I get all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix it up, then all the wet ingredients in my large liquid measuring cup, then I mix them together until a ball, then roll out onto floured counter and knead into a loaf.

For this one I copped up the almonds and cranberries by hand as small as I could, but I did not mind a few larger pieces because I love that in my bread. I then mixed that with the honey, then mixed the honey/nut/berry mixture into the dry ingredients and mixed until it was all coated good.  Then I added the water and folded that in until it was ball, then rolled onto the counter to knead.

Due to the fact that I still only have one lonely loaf pan, I take about a 1/3rd of the dough and put it into my small circle cake pan. This makes a boule shaped loaf. 

I set them on the top of the stove with a towel over it and then turn the oven on to 350. This helps the bread proof and rise while the oven heats up.  I will let it rise until it has doubled in size. Depending on the weather and the temp of my kitchen, etc, that can take up to a couple hours.

Then bake for about 30-40 minutes. :)  I bake it until the outside gets a nice dark golden brown color and it is firm when you press the tops. :)

This recipe has been in my family for a long time.  Feel very lucky that I love to share. ;)

Happy Baking everyone!!