Colonial Bread

I also baked colonial bread - it is white bread with honey, pecans and orange peel. I left out the orange peel on accident, and when I make it again I will leave out the pecans or chop them much finer. I do want to try it one more time with the orange peel... sounds like that yummy Italian bread you get at Christmas time! You can taste the honey, but the bread is not sweet. Definitely comfort food!

COLONIAL BREAD

1/2 cup hot water
1 cup milk (yep, fresh goats milk)
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp salt
1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
6 cups white flour
1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
1 cup pecans, in coarse pieces

Mix 1/2 cup hot water with the milk, honey, and salt in a large bowl, cool to lukewarm.

In a separate container, stir the yeast into 1/2 cup warm water and let stand 5 minutes to dissolve.

Add the dissolved yeast and 3 cups of flour to the first mixture and beat vigorously.

Add 2 more cups of flour and mix well. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for a minute or two, and let rest for 10 minutes. Using the remaining flour only if the dough is too sticky to handle, resume kneading until smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm, draft free place until double in bulk. Punch down and knead in the candied orange peel and pecans.

Shape into two loaves, place in greased loaf pans, cover, and let rise until almost double in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 45-55 minutes, remove from pans and cool on a rack.