Flour

• Flour type affects the crust and crumb, or interior texture, of the bread. For a chewy, substantial crust, use bread flour; its high protein means superior gluten development. If you want a tender crust, use all-purpose flour; it has lower protein and produces a tender crumb and soft crust. You can also incorporate whole-wheat flour in the recipe by combining it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour.

Lean or Rich

• Lean dough -- the type used for French bread, baguettes and sandwich bread -- doesn't use fat. Rich dough -- the kind used for bricoche and pate a choux -- contains butter. The inclusion of butter shortens the gluten strands and prevents them from fully developing, resulting in a tender crumb. The butter spreads during cooking, too, and it moistens the loaf as it does. For an everyday honey bread, use a lean dough; for a dessert-style bread, use rich.

Lean Technique

• Measure 5 parts flour and 3 parts water for lean dough -- 4 cups of flour and 12 ounces of warm water make one loaf. Substitute milk for water if you want a creamy interior and brown crust. Scaling the flour is ideal, but with simple breads such as this, you can usually measure by volume without problem if you spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Dissolve the yeast in the water and stir in 3/4 tablespoon of honey. Add the flour and mix until dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for a few minutes.

Rich Technique

• Rich doughs have more ingredients to convert to a workable ratio -- 4 parts flour, 3 parts butter, 2 1/2 parts eggs, 1 part honey, 1 part milk and 1 packet, or 7 grams, of yeast -- so it's easier to use quantities.

  For one loaf of rich honey bread, mix 3 ounces of warm whole milk with 1 packet of yeast and a pinch of sugar, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Next, mix in 5 whole eggs, 3 tablespoons of honey and 12 ounces of room-temperature butter. Lastly, add 1 pound of all-purpose flour and a large pinch of salt. Chill rich dough in the refrigerator overnight.

Garnishing

• Honey breads, both lean and rich, benefit from a thoughtful garnish. Oats, chopped nuts, freshly chopped herbs and dried fruits, for example, all work with honey bread. To garnish, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the ingredient -- 1 tablespoon if using fresh herbs -- to the dough halfway through mixing.

Proofing

• Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead it for 10 minutes; let rich dough reach room temperature first. Place the dough in a warm place for two hours, press it down to expel gases and shape it in a loaf. Place the dough in a loaf pan and let it rise until it doubles in size.

Baking

• Lean dough and rich dough differ slightly in baking technique. For a lean dough, heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the loaf in the oven and turn the heat down to 350 F -- the initial high heat creates "oven spring," or "quick rise," in the dough. Bake lean honey bread for 30 minutes, or until it reaches 165 F in the center.

  Bake rich honey bread at 350 F until golden brown, or about 45 minutes.