Honey Bushman Bread (Stephanie)

Ingredients
DOUGH
1 1/4 cups warm water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pkg.) yeast
2 cups bread flour
1 3/4 cups wholewheat flour (I usually sub for 1 3/4 bread flour making a total of 3 3/4 cups)
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons molasses

COLORING (optional, I eliminate this)
1 1/4 teaspoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
1 teaspoon blue food coloring
cornmeal for dusting (I omit this)

Procedure
1. Mix sugar with warm water, then dissolve the yeast in the solution. In five minutes the solution will begin to foam as the yeast beginsits gassy dance party.
2. While the yeast is waking up, mix the flours, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl. Mix butter into the dry mixture with your hands. Make an impression in the middle of the dry mixture. Add the honey and molasses into the well. Mix the food coloring with the yeast solution, then pour the solution into the well. Stir from the middle bringing the dry mixture into the wet stuff, slowly at first, then quickly as you incorporate all the ingredients. You will eventually have to use your hands to combine everything. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, then roll the dough into a ball and place it into a covered bowl in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
3. When the dough has doubled, separate it into 6 even portions. Roll each dough portion into logs that are 6 inches long and 2 inches wide. Pour cornmeal onto your rolling surface. Moisten your hands then rub water onto each dough log and roll it in the cornmeal. Arrange the rolled dough on a baking sheet and cover it with plastic wrap. Set the dough in warm spot to rise for another hour or so until the loaves have doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dough and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes in the hot oven. When the bread is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the bread with a sharp bread knife and butter on the side. If you want whipped butter, like you get at the restaurant, just use an electric mixer on high speed to whip some butter until it's fluffy.


Notes:
If you'd like to use a bread machine to knead the dough, just add the ingredients in the following order: Mix the food coloring with the water, then add the colored water to the bread pan followed by the flours, sugar, salt, butter, cocoa, honey, molasses, and yeast. Set the machine to knead and walk away. When the dough's done kneading and rising, go to step #3 of this recipe and take it from there.

I usually divide the dough into four loaves (rather than six) and we eat a whole one for dinner! The extra loaves I wrap individually, first in plastic wrap or foil and then in a freezer bag. You can warm it in the oven and it's just about as good as fresh...

Can be cooked in the bread machine also just use 1 - 1 1/2 white setting