Honey Maple Bread

How to bake what is probably the sweetest smelling bread on the planet.

EDIT Since this instructable has been featured, and I wrote it a while ago, I thought i should just add a couple of notes about bread-related experiences i've had.

1. Kneading - knead a lot. Try to hold off on adding extra flour if you think your bread is a little wet still, and see if it firms up with about 8-10 minutes of kneading. if it's a sloppy mess you may not have added enough in the beginning. You should have a ball of dough at the end that looks much smoother than the dough pictured here, before I learned the importance of good kneading.

2. Yeast - step 3 should be called "Proofing the yeast" , but I'll leave it. Only proof the yeast if you use "active" yeast like i did when I wrote this. If you are using INSTANT yeast, you may skip the proofing step and simply add it in with the other dry ingredients. This is how i work now and although i miss the science-experiment vibe of watching yeast proof, it is that little bit quicker.

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

Here's what you need:

7 cups white unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups very hot water
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey (I used honey and maple syrup, so this is up to your discretion)
2 packages active yeast

You'll also need:
A large bowl
A spoon or whisk
A tea towel
2 Standard sized bread pans
some measuring cups

Comments

[porero]

Hi everyone! This is my first recipe of bread .... and believe me it was it is it will be reeeeeeeeeeealy nice. Being in love with it goes without saying, the whole family loved it. Million thanks for the auther ..... and billion thanks for instructable.com.

[Robotrix]

I'm pretty sure this was my first instructable, and I felt the same love for the community that you do. It's still the first place i check for project advice. I'm glad you liked the bread!

[J@50n]

 you need to try this in a rice cooker!

[katushkin]

i feel slightly ashamed to ask this; could i just pour all of the ingredients into a breadmaker?

[PetBennett]

i was about to ask the same question, i just got a bread maker practically new at a yard sale for 5$

[LisaD]

Hi, Katya, It looks like you did not get a reply about bread machine workings. Bread machines usually have specific instructions for order of ingredients. Mine says to add the liquids first, then the flour, the salt and sugar (I put the salt in one corner to keep it away from the yeast since it can kill the yeast). The last thing I add is the yeast. Some bread machines have you start with the yeast. I never saw one like that, but haven't looked either. Happy baking. LisaD

[gathos]

Woot! Canadian maple!

[Bartboy]

Mmmm....Canada....

[nightninja87]

very nice instructable i just wanted to say i seen another recipe on this site for bread but they made a "sponge" wich is about 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup water and the yeast and let that rise it works great for me

[CowGuy]

I bake this stuff all the time! I love it!

[MaladyDee]

This instructable is awesome. I made this bread and it turned out FANTASTIC. It is worth mentioning that for starting the yeast, if your packets have different instructions (mine had less water, and a teaspoon of sugar) you should follow those directions instead. The first 2 packages of yeast didn't rise, but when I tried again, it worked fine when I followed the directions on the packet (and the original batch of yeast ended up rising too, it just took way longer.)

[syberyenta]

From what I have seen on the Net, bread machine recipes are different from traditional oven baked bread recipes. Also I have learned that the yeast will be killed if the water is too hot. It should be 110 degrees, or ALMOST too hot to touch. I get mine hot enough right from the tap water if it runs for a bit.

[shelleibean]

probably a tsp. of salt- most bread recipies call ofr that. salt makes the sweet sweeter

[shelleibean]

radiorental-if your yeast isn't activated your dough won't rise. so you really need to activate it before baking. having the dough rise lets some of the yeasty-flavor come out that's why some recipies call for one rise and some call for 2.

[riario]

uh, maybe I missed it but when do you add the yeast?

[Robotrix]

Sorry, the yeast goes into the mixing bowl along with the water, butter and honey.

[radiorental]

Interesting, I've been told by many sources not to mix the yeast with water before it goes in the oven. Activation taking place as the bread cooks. But I have tons of trouble with bread that wont rise, dense hard rubbish. I'll try mixing before hand - thanks

[westfw]

I have discovered the hard way that yeast goes bad faster than you would think; those little packets you have in your fridge from 6mo ago probably aren't useful any more (who knows how long they sat in the store before you bought them.) If you bake bread occasionally, buy fresh yeast. If you bake bread often, buy it by the pound at a warehouse store (where 1lb of yeast is significantly cheaper than a much smaller jar from the grocery, and WAY cheaper than the packets.) Flour goes stale too, and you notice a lot more in bread than in cakes or cookies...

[cokebottle tuque]

a jar of yeast will last a long time if you keep it in the freezer wen you arn't baking. i don't bake that often but i have been using the same jar of yeast for about a year now and its still good.