Golden Egg Bread Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F/43 to 46 degrees C)
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups bread flour, divided, or more as needed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon salt

Directions

Whisk the water, honey, and yeast in your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it gets nice and foamy.

Next, add 3 cups of flour, olive oil, eggs, wheat gluten, and butter to the yeast mixture.
Mix everything on low speed for a couple of minutes until the flour is just incorporated.

Then sprinkle in the salt and the remaining 3 cups of flour.
Keep mixing on low until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

If it’s still sticky, add a little more flour—about 1/4 cup at a time—kneading for a couple of minutes after each addition until the dough feels just right and pulls away cleanly.

Once your dough is smooth and elastic, grease a large bowl, transfer the dough there, and cover it with a damp towel.
Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until it doubles in size.

Punch down the dough and divide it into two equal pieces.
Shape each half and place them into greased 9x5-inch loaf pans or on a baking sheet.

Let them rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the loaves for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the center reads 200°F.

Enjoy your homemade bread.