Spiced Pecan Toasting Bread

 

Spiced Pecan Toasting Bread

As a young child I remember going to my grandmother's home on days when she baked bread and oh, what an aroma. I love a slice of bread warm from the toaster and covered with a thin layer on melted butter. Featured in the April 2008 edition of Sunset magazine, I found a series on homemade breads. For many years I baked our bread. I am on my third bread machine which actually can be used only for mixing any longer. It could be replaced as a testimony to my passion for good bread.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons honey
3 eggs
6 to 7 cups bread flour, divided, plus
more for shaping
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dried low-fat OR non fat milk
4 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Butter for bowl and pans
Directioners::
In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast and honey in 1 1/2 cups warm water (90 to 105 degrees). Let set until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Attach dough hook and, with mixer on medium, mix in 2 eggs, 2 cups bread flour, the whole wheat flour, brown sugar, dried milk, salt, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and pecans. Add remaining 4 to 5 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the inside of bowl. Knead ( with mixer on medium) until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking too much. When ready, dough should feel a bit like an earlobe when you pinch it.

Transfer dough to a large, lightly buttered bowl. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let set until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, butter two 8 inch loaf pans and set aside.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and on a lightly floured surface, shape each half into an 8-in. oblong loaf. Put dough in pans, cover, and let set until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg with 2 tablespoons water. Brush dough with egg wash and bake until brown, about 35 minutes. Remove loaves from pans (they are done if the sound hollow when tapped on the bottom) and cool on wire racks.

Yield 2 loaves.