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| Shirley’s French Honey Bread |
This French honey bread is the best white, sandwich or toasting bread you’ll ever have. It’s easy too.
My friend Shirley W has been making this bread recipe for years. She told me it originally came out of an old booklet of recipes that came with one of her first bread machines.
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| Shirley’s French Honey Bread |
Anyone who has made this has raved about what a great all-around bread it is. They are absolutely correct! Shirley says her extended family beg her to make this and she even told me when she and her husband moved after they retired, her niece wanted her to FedEx the bread to her each week! That’s how popular this is.
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| Perfect sandwich or toasting bread |
This is the perfect white bread. Which also means it’s a great toasting bread and sandwich bread. I should mention that it’s very easy to make. You can do it either in the bread machine entirely, just let the machine mix and rise and you shape, or totally do it conventionally.
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| Tender golden crust |
Any way, it’s a terrific bread. Sure to become a family favorite.
Shirley's French Honey Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 tbs honey
- 1 1/2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast I used bread machine yeast
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
Instructions
Bread Machine:
- If using a bread machine, add the ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set on BASIC/WHITE cycle...and that's it if you want to do it entirely in a machine. If you want to shape yourself, then set to DOUGH cycle and remove dough, roll and shape and place in a greased 9 x 5 x 4-inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise until double--about 30 minutes. Bake as for conventional method.
Conventional Method:
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of a large stand mixer. Using dough hook at speed recommended by manufacturer, mix dough and knead for 5-8 minutes.
- Put a little oil in a large bowl and add the dough, coating one side with oil. Turn oil side up, cover with greased plastic wrap and set in a warm, dry, draft-free place to rise until double in bulk--about 1 hour.
- Punch down dough and shape as for a loaf.
- Place in well greased 9 x 5 x 4-inch loaf pan. Cover with greased plastic wrap and set in a warm, dry, draft-free place to rise until double in bulk--about 30 minutes. Note: Shirley cautions that this is a high-rising bread, so once it's shaped, when it has risen to 1-inch over the top of the pan, that is the time to bake.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake loaf for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and tapping the bottom of the loaf makes a hollow sound (190 degrees F on an insta-read thermometer).
- Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
Nutrition
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| Moist and tender crumb |
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Kristin says
I just made the bread and it rose a bit much!! I'm not sure what I did wrong….
Also, was this for 1, 1.5 or 2 lb loaf?
Judith Hanneman says
Nope you did everything right–this is a very high-rising bread!! Shirley said it was originally a bread machine recipe and there were instructions for 3 sizes and she used the "large" (which is this recipe) so it's probably a 2 lb loaf since way back when the "big" machines made one that size.
Karen says
Is there a reason you decided not to be it in the bread machine? For simplicity's sake, I would like to do that but don't want to ruin the loaf – thanks!
Judith Hanneman says
Shirley said it's originally a bread machine recipe so you definitely won't ruin it. I just did it the conventional way because I'd just gotten a new mixer and wanted to use it more.
Julia O'Byrne says
Can I sub maple syrup or more sugar for this? I dont have honey right now! thanks
Judith Hanneman says
You should be good with the maple syrup–even corn syrup would probably do.
Kathy says
I love love love this bread. I have made this for year now and totally enjoy every minute of the mixing, baking and EATING it. I lost my laptop at one point anduldnt make it cause I forgot the portions! OH NO! Now I found it again-Thanks Shirley. It is absolutely terrific. Kathy
Judith Hanneman says
It’s the almost perfect bread!
Chris D says
Delicious! First time I’ve made bread not using a bread machine and it was so easy!! Will definitely be making again.
Judith Hanneman says
This bread is a winner! Glad you liked it!