Aunt Karen's Famous Bread Recipe

I have been spoiled with a great family. My dad's sister (My aunt) Is the Martha Stewart of the family and she makes the BEST bread.. 

thankfully she shares the recipe so I can make it too!

And I am eager to share it with you so you can all enjoy it...

Chad came Home to some delicious smells this week. 

I have actually made 5 loaves over the past weekend.

I love to give them to people... easy gift!

 Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup warm water (between 110-120 degrees)

2 tbs honey

2 1/2 tsp yeast

2 tbs olive oil

1 tsp salt

3 cup flour

 Proof the yeast in warm water and honey until foamy and smelly (about 5 minutes) 

In your mixer with bread hook add salt and olive oil. 

Once yeast is proofed slowly add flour and water to mixer till ball is formed in mixer on the hook. 

Remove from hook, and let rise covered for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

Shape and cover for another hour to let rise again. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes

let cook for a bit so it doesn't stick together when sliced, and enjoy! 

I thought I'd put the whole recipe together at the beginning so that you cannot make the mistake of missing a step in my tutorial. 

This way you can copy and paste it to print much easier as well...

Alright lets get started:

Get your water nice and warm. I use a candy thermometer to make sure the water is at 110-120 degrees. 

Before you add your yeast add your honey and stir it in to the water to proof the yeast. 

make sure to warm up your honey so that it will not make your water cold if you have your honey in the fridge.

after honey and water are mixed and the water is nice and yellow add your 2 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit for a while till foamy and really smelly... make sure to get a good yeast, don't skimp on that, it makes the world of a difference! 

 When its nice and bubbly its good to go and can be put into your mixer

 make sure to add your salt and olive oil and then alternate flour and yeast

 you will get a great dough ball... don't beat this dough, keep your mixer at a low speed.

 remove the hook and shape a bit into a ball.. let this sit and rise.

Be sure to cover and set a timer...

Once it has risen for an hour it will be twice the size and nice and airy...

 I always pour it out into my hand by tilting it so that it falls out of bowl and doesn't break all the great rise that it has taken an hour to make... don't over handle it but shape it delicately.

Put onto a well floured pan that you will put into the oven.

 Once you have shaped it to your liking...

I like to add slits in the dough by poking a line out with a knife.. don't try to slice it like bread, it will stick to your knife so simply poke it with the knife in a line...
add some garlic salt and some basil even some grated Parmesan cheese and let this rise for an hour. 

 Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. At about the 10 minute mark turn the bread to get an even browning.

It will come out nice and golden brown with beautiful markings with a thin crust and some delicious soft center that is sweet!

If thicker crust is desired let bake a bit longer (make sure to watch the bread so it does not burn!)

 serve with salted butter or
 some balsamic vinegar and olive oil with some fresh garlic and roasted almonds!

Happy baking!
Share your pics of finished bread... I'd love to see em!
Blessings,
Janelle Dutcher