Crusty White Bread....

I  love crusty white bread, especially with soup!

My kids will eat it off and on all day long, until its gone. They love the crunchy and chewy texture.

The outside is almost like a cracker!

Here's the simple recipe:

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 t yeast

1 1/2 t salt

2t honey

4 cups plain or unbleached flour

Pour water into mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Collect and add remaining ingredients and stir well with a fork.

The dough should remain a little sticky and moist. Coat bowl in 1 to 2 T olive oil and allow to rise for approx. 90 minutes. Preheat oven during the last 20 minutes of rising time, to 500.

Lightly butter a light colored baking sheet.

 (If all your pans are dark, lay foil or another pan in the oven on the lower rack and keep a check on the bottom of bread while baking.) 

 Knead the dough briefly. Shape into two12 inch logs, then lightly roll the logs in a sprinkling of flour. Place on baking sheet, allow to rest a couple for 5 to 10 minutes.  Score down the center and place in preheated oven. (No second rise needed.)  Bake for 20 minutes (at 500), then lower heat to 400 and bake for approx. 20 more minutes.

As you can see below, they are not meant to win a beauty contest but its a delightful bread!