Sourdough Honey Bread Recipe

How to make it

---

• Set the bread machine to the "dough only" setting and add all ingredients in this order: warm water, yeast, honey, starter, flour, salt. The machine will combine the ingredients, knead the dough and give it its first rise, then beep to indicate that the dough is ready to shape.
• Remove the dough from the machine and transfer it to a flour-dusted surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, in which the narrow sides of the rectangle are parallel to the edge of your counter.
• Starting with the "top" of the rectangle, the edge that's furthest from you, fold one-third of the dough over. Now, fold the bottom third of the dough up over the other folded piece, as if you were folding a letter. Turn the piece of dough 90 degrees, then repeat the folds, folding the top third of the dough down over the middle. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the center. You should now have a thick, square-ish piece of dough.
• Turn the dough over so that the seam is on the bottom, and tuck the layered sides underneath so the entire exposed surface of dough is smooth. Place the dough in a pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray or coated with oil, and use your hands to flatten the dough a little towards the edges of the pan. The dough does not need to fill the entire bottom of the pan, because it will expand to fill the pan as it rises.
• Cover pan of dough with a dishtowel and allow to rise in a warm space. Dough should rise for 45 minutes to an hour and a half, or until it is doubled in size. A good indication that it has risen enough is if the dough has risen a little past the top of the pan.
• With a very sharp paring knife (or a lame, a special bread baking tool), quickly slash the dough lengthwise down the middle of the loaf, about 1/4 inch thick. This will help the bread expand as it bakes.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Bread will be done when its crust is firm and browned, and the underside of the loaf is also firm and makes a hollow sound when tapped.
• Remove the bread from the pan immediately and cool on a rack.
• *If you are worried about your sourdough starter's strength, proof the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of sugar before adding to bread machine. Once it's foamy, it's time to use.
• * 1/4 cup of rolled oats may be substituted for 1/4 cup bread flour for additional texture to finished loaf.