Monday, January 07, 2013

Easy honey bread

Have you resolved to be more organised in 2013? Me too. Well, sort of. I like to think I am easing into things (which is why it has taken me until January 7 to write my first post for the year). I've decided my style of organisation is going to be all about Doing Things In Advance. I'm not sure how that's going to roll with my life's general theme of Doing Things At The Last Minute, but I have found a bread recipe that seems to encapsulate both.

Easy honey bread
If you made a resolution to make more bread in 2013 - or you want to encourage someone else in your household to make it - this is a good place to start. There's no kneading or complicated rising procedures involved, just a bit of planning, because you need to start this the day before you want to eat it. You can do that, can't you? Use the most flavoursome honey you can as it really makes a difference.

For the sponge:
120g bread flour
1/2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp honey
150ml warm water

To add the next day:
350g bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
250ml warm water
3 Tbsp olive oil

Put the flour and yeast in a large bowl. Dissolve the honey in the warm water, then stir into the flour until well mixed. Cover with plastic and leave overnight or for at least eight hours.
The next day, add the flour, salt and yeast to the mixture and stir well. Mix the oil and water together and add, stirring until combined. Cover again and let rise until tripled in volume (about two hours).
Line a baking tray with baking paper and dust with flour. Turn the dough out onto the tray and dust the top with flour. Let rise again, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Bake at 220C for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
This is best eaten hot out of the oven, but it's also good toasted the next day, topped with feta, honey and lots of black pepper.

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13 comments:

  1. this is really a nice recipe. can i use whole wheat flour instead of bread flour? and can u please give me the measurement of flour in cups.
    thank you.
    http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com/

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    1. Hi Krishna you can use wholewheat flour but the texture will be different. I'll try it out in the next few days and see if I can work out a recipe to suit. And I am trying to convert all my measurements to grams because a cup can mean different things to different people... but I'll figure it out and amend the recipe accordingly. Cheers.

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  2. I am thinking of starting to bake my own bread at some stage... this does look great! Happy New Year Lucy. :)

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    1. Same to you - and you should definitely give this a try!

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  3. Oh I wish I had the nerve to tackle bread!!! this looks SOOOOO delicious :)
    Mary x

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    1. Mary, compared to all the amazing things you can make this is as easy as boiling a kettle! Go on, you can do it!

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  4. i am TOO organised, if there can be such a thing. i'm terrible at beign spontaneous.
    the bread looks lovely and light.

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  5. I have a pretty long list of resolutions but I did pretty well on my last lot so feeling positive. Are you going to tell us what yours are?

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  6. I resolved several things, but not one was to be more organised - goodness knows I could do with more of that though! And if being more organised means baking delicious-sounding bread like this, bring it on.

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  7. I am always fond of bread.This type bread (though it is new for me)is also not an exception.

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  8. I'm all for advance planning just now need to crack paying any attention to said plans. This bread sounds delicious and perfect for those so organised.

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  9. I'm in love with the sound of this toasted bread "topped with feta, honey and lots of black pepper". It's got to be worth making just for that. I'm impressed with your intention to do things in advance. I have trouble remembering to do things at all.

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  10. Nice little recipe that looks so simple I could do it. I love fresh bread and i'll keep this post bookmarked!

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Hello - thanks for stopping by. If this was real life I'd make you a cup of tea and open the biscuit tin, but in lieu of those things, let's have a chat anyway...