Breaking Bread ... and shoving in face!

The act of breaking bread especially with friends satisfies me beyond description. When the bread that is broken is freshly baked and still pipping steam hot enough to make butter melt like creamy lava even better! That whiff of wheaty wholesomeness followed by the creamy ooziness of the butter in that first mouthful is worth the time and effort in the kneading and waiting for bread to rise. If a hug could be explained in a smell, to me, it would be like warm bread and melting butter.
Today I made 2 loaves of hugs, here is my recipe. It was inspired by one of the hundreds of amazing bread recipes at the King Arthur Flour website.

Walnut and Pistachio Spiced Wheat Bread
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 1/4 cup lukewarm water

4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups Unbleached Flour
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 cups mixed diced walnuts and pistachio


1. In the slightly warm water I add the yeast and leave it aside for a few minutes for it to start doing that thing that yeast does ( says she very technically)
2. Then I simple add all ingredients to my mixer (in my case my to die for Kitchen Aid Artisan) and use the dough hook to mix everything together. If the dough looks dry and not coming together simple add a little water, a tablespoon or so at a time as you can add water but once it's in there it's in there!
3. Turn out dough on to floured surface and knead dough together and form whatever shape you want. I make it oblongey to go in my loaf tin.
4. Set aside covered by a tea towel in a warm spot for an hour, the dough needs to rise and crown.
5. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
6. Once dough has risen you may make little slits on the top for design if you so wish or simple place it in oven as is for 40-45 minutes.
7. When ready turn out from tin and allow to cool slightly before cutting in to it ..... for me, this bit is difficult as all I want to do is cut a chunk, smother good butter on it and shove in face.

Simple steps to baking a hug that can be shared (or not)