Combine the warm water, dark brown sugar and honey in a
mixing bowl and stir. Add the yeast carefully to avoid clumps.
Stir again and let the mixture stand until the surface of the water
starts to turn a light brown as the yeast begins to foam. If your
water is too hot, too cold it will not foam.
While the yeast is started to get going, melt the 3 tbsp of
unsalted butter, then add the half and half. Add the tsp of salt
to the yeast mixture with the butter and half and half then stir
well.
Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a large bowl at set it
aside. Be sure the bowl is beg enough for the dough to fit in
after doubling in size.
Measure out two cups of flour and add the to the mixing bowl.
Use a rubber spatula or flour your hands and start mixing the
dough. Rather than using a mixing motion like when working
with a cake mix, fold the flour into the water. scrape along the
sides and bottom of the bowl and fold it into the flour.
Once the dough forms a wet mess, add a little of the third cup at
a time and fold the new flour into the dough. Do not add the
entire cup at one, as it may not be needed. Add a little at a time
and knead. After a few minutes the dough should stop sticking
so the sides of the bowl as much and start to form a ball. Add
flour and knead until the dough ball is just slightly sticky. At that
point, turn it out of the bowl onto a clean, lightly floured surface
or just flour your hands and pick it up. Knead the dough by fold
it over and over in different directions until it gets sticky again,
then sprinkle just a little more flour on it. Knead until the dough
is smooth and just slightly sticky. It should form a fairly solid
ball.
After the dough is in the buttered bowl, flip it over once so that
all sides are coated and cover the dough with either plastic wrap
or a moist cloth and set it somewhere it will stay warm, but not
too warm or it will begin to bake.
After an hour, check on the dough. Because there is not much
yeast in this particular bread it will probably take longer than an
hour to get nearly doubled.
Once the yeast has nearly doubled, get a wide pot of water on
the stove and add baking soda. Additionally, a little honey can be
added to sweeten the crust a bit.
While waiting for the water to boil, preheat the oven to 450
degrees.
Then, uncover the dough, punch it down, and shape the loaves
and set them on a lightly floured surface then cover lightly to
rise while the water comes to a boil. Once the water has come to
a rolling boil, drop the loaves into the pot and let them float
around for 30 seconds on each side. Then take them out and
quickly drain them, placed on a lightly floured of greased baking
sheet, sprinkle salt over the top of the wet loaves and cut an X
on the top of each loaf with a sharp knife.
After the oven is up to temperature, set the loaves in the top 1/2
or top 1/3 of the oven. Let them bake for ten minutes, turn
them, and drop the temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for
another 10 or so minutes. The loaves should sound hollow when
tapped on the top. During the last few minutes of baking, the
loaves should hit their maximum size and turn a dark brown.
Once the loaves are out of the oven, brush them lightly with
melted butter for a softer, chewer crust. If they are not buttered
the loaves will keep a crunchy crust.
When storing them, keep them at room temperature in a bag.
The loaves will keep several days.
Serving
Suggestions
Serve the loaves warm with butter or a dip. A cheddar and sour cream dip is particularly good.
Originally Submitted
4/11/2013
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