Instructions
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 ½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cup pecan pieces, lightly toasted
1 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions:
Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, mix, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir in the honey, oil, and salt.
Add the flour, a cup at a time, until you no longer can integrate any more flour.
Turn the dough out onto a counter with the remainder of the flour. Knead the dough until you form a smooth and satiny ball. If needed wet your hands if the dough needs a little bit more water to come together.
Put the dough into a bowl and drizzle with a tablespoon of oil; turn the dough to coat it with the oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it’s doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Gently deflate the dough and knead in the nuts.
Lightly flour your counter top and shape the dough into an oblong oval loaf.
Cover the loaf with damp towels and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Using a serrated knife, make 3 slashes across the top of the loaf about 1" deep.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until it well browned and the internal temperature is 190F.
Cool on rack and let sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
