Step 1

Pour 1/2 cup warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir gently to combine. Set aside and allow yeast to work about five minutes while prepping the pans and ingredients in the mixer.

Step 2

Grease two bread pans. (Glass or ceramic preferred.)

Step 3

Combine 2 cups of the flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in mixer using dough hooks for a few seconds on low. (The salt in the flour will not harm the yeast.)

Step 4

Pour yeast mixture and 1 cup warm water and olive oil over the ingredients in the mixer. Mix ingredients on slow speed.

Step 5

With mixer on low, add 1-1/2 cups of warm water and then 2 cups of flour. Add up to another

Step 6

After ingredients are combined, turn mixer speed to medium. If dough is too wet and sticky add up to 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons at a time while mixer is running (or while kneading) till it comes away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Dough should still be soft, stretchy and a bit sticky.

Step 7

Mix for 5 minutes on medium. Dough should mix together and come away cleanly from the sides of the bowl during this time. Dough will be smooth at the end of mixing. Optional hand kneading: Turn dough out onto a clean, floured surface and knead turning it a quarter turn each time for 5-8 minutes till dough is smooth.

Step 8

Oil or grease hands and remover dough from bowl onto clean and lightly-floured counter or silpat and knead it 4-6 times. This is a soft dough, but if it is too sticky too handle, knead in a bit more flour.

Step 9

Divide dough evenly into two balls and shape into loaves and place in prepared pans.

Step 10

Lightly cover loaves with plastic wrap or clean dish towel and sit in a warm place to rise till dough is about double in volume up to 30 minutes.

Step 11

While dough is rising, heat oven to 400°.

Step 12

Bake loaves for 15-20 minutes, till golden brown. Turn them out onto cooling rack. (And of course while it will slice better when it cools, it is irresistible when warm out of the oven, dripping with butter and honey. Enjoy.)