Homestead Ultimate Bread

Instructions

1. In a kitchen-aide type mixer, place 2 cups bread flour, your hot water ( not boiling), and your yeast. Mix to combine, then allow this to sponge for 15 minutes.
2. Once your sponge is complete, add the rest of your flour, salt, honey and oil. Mix well to combine, then set your mixer to knead for 10 minutes.
3. After kneading allow your dough to rest for 10 minutes.
4. Spray 2 bread pans with cooking spray, or lightly grease by hand.
5. Flour your hands and scrape the dough from your mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface. (Don't add more flour to the dough at this point).
6. Spit dough in half as close as you can. Take each half and knead into the shape of log just under the length of the bread pans. Set loaves into oiled pans. Spray tops with cooking spray.
7. Allow dough to rise in the bread pans for 50 minutes (or until double in size) in a warm spot. Preheat oven to 350° for 10 more minutes, allowing bread to continue to rise while the oven heats.
8. Place pans into preheated oven and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
9. Remove pans from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Then rub butter all over tops of each loaf. Remove loaves from pans and rub butter on all sides. Set loaves on a clean kitchen towel or wax paper to cool completely. (must let cool completely in order to slice easily).
10. Slice bread and place your slices into airtight bags. I got 14 nice sized slices per loaf. Enjoy!