Apricot White Stilton Bread Recipe

How to make it

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• Lightly mix yeast, honey, and warm water in a small bowl and set aside. Allow to sit ~10 minutes or until yeast is nicely activated. It will smell yeasty and have a frothy head on it resembling a beer.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until all ingredients are melted, dissolved, and well combined. Allow to cool to lukewarm (otherwise you may kill your yeast before they've fulfilled their destiny).
• In a large bowl, stir yeast water and milk mixture to combine. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth.
• Begin adding flour, 1/2-1 cup at a time and stirring just until a dough forms. Dump out onto a clean, floured surface and begin kneading dough, adding more flour if necessary as it becomes sticky. Continue until a smooth, elastic, hardly-sticky dough forms.
• Place dough ball into a greased bowl large enough to hold double the current volume. Roll dough to coat in fat (butter, oil, whatever) and cover with a clean cloth. Allow to rise 1 hour in a warm, draft free area, or until doubled in volume.
• After dough has risen, punch down and knead for 1 minute. Divide dough into equal halves and set one aside.
• Divide one half into three equal pieces and roll each piece out to a length of 12-15". Pinch ends together and tightly braid ropes to form a loaf, pinching again at the end. Repeat for second half of dough.
• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Sprinkle cornmeal on two baking stones and place braided loaves on them. Cover each loaf again with a clean cloth and allow them to rise, again, for another 30 minutes or until doubled.
• After final proof, brush loaves with egg whites and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Loaves should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
• Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.