Pullman Loaf

This is a simple recipe for a quick pullman loaf. If you want a more dense bread, increase the recipe by 1/2 and let the second rise go for a slightly shorter time. You can use any mix of flours for this, but remember that wheat flour has less gluton, so you should knead a little while longer, and you will also likely get a denser bread.

Ingredients:
1 lb of flour (1 lb is approximately 4 cups, I use half wheat and half bread flour)
1 package of dry yeast
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/3 cup warm water (no more than 110 degrees F)

Put yeast into the warm water and honey and mix together to proof.

Put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the water/yeast mixture a little at a time, incorporating it with the flour. When the water is fully added move to a clean surface and knead for about 10 minutes.

Put in a bowl in a warm location and let rise 1-2 hours until doubled. Punch down and form into a oval loaf, flour and place into a 9x5 baking pan and let rise a second time for about 60-75 minutes, until the top of the bread is over the top of the pan. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the dough has risen, cut slits into the top of the loaf, sprinkle with water and put in oven to bake approximately 25-30 minutes, or until you get a nice hollow "thump" when you tap the bread. Remove from loaf pan and let cool on a wire rack.