Recipe

Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, salt and yeast.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together milk and honey. Beat in dry ingredients until combined. Using a spoon, gradually work in the remaining flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Step 3: Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl, turning dough to grease all over. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a still oven, with light on and door closed, until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.

Step 4: Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, roll into two loaves and place into two lightly oiled loaf pans. Cover with tea towels and let rise in still oven until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter.

Step 5: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake loaves until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.

Reprinted with permission from Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann’s Earth To Table (2009 Random House Canada).