Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons honey
A little melted butter, for brushing after baking, plus butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
Mix the dough. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir the honey into the warm water, then pour it into the flour mixture. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and sticky- there’s no need to knead it.
Let it rise. Cover the bowl and set it in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, approximately 1–2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
Transfer to the pan. Generously butter a standard 9 × 5-inch pan. Gently deflate the dough with a spatula, then scrape it into the pan. Use about three-quarters of the dough and bake the remainder separately in buttered ramekins, mini loaf pans, or shape into hoagies.
Let it rise again. Allow the dough to rise for approximately 20–30 minutes, until noticeably puffy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake. Bake the loaf for approximately 35–45 minutes. The top, sides, and bottom should be golden brown, and the crust should feel firm. Continue baking as needed rather than relying only on the timer.
Brush with butter and cool. Brush a little melted butter over the warm loaf, then remove it from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing so the inside has time to set.