Now let's talk about homemade Honey Wheat bread! Is there anything that makes a holiday meal, or any meal for that matter, more special than fresh homemade bread? I love to smell that wonderful yeast smell while the dough is raising and once it goes in the oven the aromas are even more heavenly! If you really want to impress your holiday guests this year try serving big, luscious dinner rolls or a nice, brown loaf of fresh baked bread.

I've heard many people say they couldn't make bread and I know this is one thing that scares a lot of new cooks. I gave me grief for awhile when I first started cooking until I learned a few simply techniques. It's so easy I wanted to share those simple tips and a great recipe with you that will get you started making your own wonderful homemade bread.

The recipe we'll be making is Honey-Wheat bread. This is a favorite recipe that I've used for over 20 years and it's very easy. It's made in the mixer so you won't have to do much if any kneading. It makes a wonderful, slightly sweet bread that your guests will smell when they come in the door! It will lead them right to your kitchen by the nose! 

For this recipe you'll need:

Equipment:

• An instant read thermometer. As I mentioned in my first show this is a very inexpensive item and invaluable when it comes to making homemade bread. The secret is having the liquid you dissolve the yeast in the right temperature. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast and your bread will never raise. If it's too cool the bread will be slow rising and your meal will be over long before your bread is ready to bake.

• Baking pans for the rolls or loaf pans for bread. (You can make either one with this recipe.)

• A large bowl for mixing and raising the dough. It's easier if you have 2 large bowls as you won't have to stop to wash the bowl you mixed the dough in before you can oil it for raising the dough. I have a set of large stainless steel bowls that I couldn't live without.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 2 Tbsp. sugar

• 2 pkgs dry yeast

• 1 cup cream style cottage cheese (small curd is best for this)

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 3 tsp. salt

• 1 egg

• approximately 6 cups all purpose flour

• shortening or butter to grease the bowl for raising the dough

Heat the water until very warm, about 115°F on an instant read thermometer. Stir in the sugar and yeast and let it set until it starts to foam up. This is what is known as proofing the yeast. If the yeast is active it should double in volume in just a few minutes. This step will ensure your yeast is fresh and active which will prevent you from wasting a lot of ingredients on yeast that is no longer active. This will also cause the bread dough to rise faster because the yeast has a head start.

Put the yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl and add the cottage cheese, honey and melted butter then mix thoroughly. Add 2 cups of flour and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the wheat flour, salt and egg and beat at medium speed for another 2 minutes. Beat in the additional 3 1/2 - 4 cups of all purpose flour (enough to make a stiff dough...this may vary a little depending on humidity, size of the egg, etc. so just add enough to make a stiff dough) and knead the dough for about 2 minutes, either in the mixer (if you have a mixer with a dough hook) or by hand.

Place dough in greased bowl, cover with damp towel and let rise until double in size.  Punch dough down by just pushing your hand in the center to let the gases from the yeast out and form into 2 loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and brush top of loaves with melted butter.

(You can use this same dough to make dinner rolls by just tearing off pieces and shaping them into balls before raising. Remember to make the balls about half the size you want the rolls to be in the end.)

Let rise until double in size again.  Bake at 350°F 40-50 minutes or until brown for loaves. Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes or until brown for dinner rolls. For a nice shiny look brush loaves or dinner rolls with melted butter when you take them out of the oven.

I've also made these in large batches, made up the crescent rolls and frozen them on cookie sheets. After they've frozen I drop them in large freezer bags and store in the freezer. Then when I want dinner rolls without all the mess I can just put the number of rolls I want on a baking sheet, let them thaw and raise until double in size and bake. 

This is a great method if you're cooking for 1-3 people most of the time and the recipe just makes more than you can use at one time. Most bread dough recipes freeze well.

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