I've never used honey in this kind of recipe but I think only using 1/4 cup honey would make you pucker up.

Like everyone else, I use my bread machine to mix the dough and for the first rise, then pull it out, shape it, rise it again, bake it. Salt and yeast should be kept separated, as was mentioned. I put the liquid in the bottom, then add the salt to the liquid, then the flours on top, then a well with the yeast. That way it is quite separated and will take a little while to come in contact with the salt. It makes sense to me to put the liquid in the bottom because it would be very difficult for the blade to mix if there is a lot of flour and only a little liquid (as would be the case if you put dry in first). With liquid on the bottom, it will more gradually bring in the dry ingredients. IME, when I use a "regular" recipe in the bread machine it comes out a little bit drier - I think because it is mixed better. You can open the machine when its running (even though the instructions say not to). Let it mix for a few minutes, till everything is mixed together, then open it and see if it needs either more flour or water - you should be able to tell by the texture of the dough. Otherwise, you shouldn't have a problem adapting recipes. Have fun! I make an average of two loaves a week - one for sandwiches, one french or italian type for dinner. Here is the French bread recipe I use (with comments from the book and my own comments): PAIN ORDINAIRE Plain French Bread Light and fluffy with a thin, crisp crust, this is the everyday bread of France thats only at its peak for about 8 hours after baking. Master this recipe and you can have French bread any time you want. Dont believe for a minute that you can bake real French bread in your bread machine on the French bread setting. Technique is all. Use your bread machine on the dough setting, then form the loaves by hand, bake them on a stone or in a French baguette baking pan. That, friends, is French bread. The ordinary kind. 1 ¼ cups water 3 cups bread flour (I use 3 ¼ cups) 2 ½ teaspoons bread machine yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg white whisked together with 1 tablespoon water for glaze Combine the ingredients except egg wash in the bread machine pan and process on the dough setting (I keep salt separated from yeast). Remove the dough to a lightly floured work surface and punch it down. Form it into a tight ball and cover it with the bread machine pan (I cover with a light cloth napkin). Let the dough rest for 30 to 45 minutes. Divide the dough into two pieces, form each piece into a tight ball, and set aside uncovered for 10 minutes. Flatten each piece into a rectangle about 6 x 3 inches, then form into 2 baguettes. Place on parchment or in special baguette pans (I use the pans which I ordered from The Bakers Catalogue) and cover with plastic or a tea towel while the loaves rise one final time, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven with a stone in place on the middle rack to 450°F. for at least 30 minutes (I dont use the stone if I use the baguette pans). Just before baking, brush the loaves lightly with the egg wash, and make 3 or 4 diagonal slashes in the top of each loaf. Bake the loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Spritz the oven with plain water 3 or 4 times during the first 10 minutes. Turn the bread out and cool on a rack. Eat it the same day its made. Forming baguettes With a rolling pin, roll the dough away from you into a long oval about eight by twelve inches. Fold the dough in half lengthwise by bringing the twelve-inch edge farthest away down over the edge closest to you. Seal the edges by pressing the seam with your extended thumbs. Now roll the dough a quarter turn up so that the seal is on top. Again flatten the dough into an oval with the rolling pin. Press a trench along the twelve-inch-long center of the dough, then fold it in half toward you again, and this time, seal the edges by pressing with the heel of your hand. Now roll the dough back and forth, sliding your hands along the length, making a sixteen-inch-long sausage roll (mine are never this long). Place the roll seam side down on a cornmeal-dusted peel or parchment, or in a special baguette baking pan to rise a final time before slashing and baking. Make three or four quick, sure diagonal slashes in the bread just before baking.

Freeze them - and all the websites say double wrapped. Storing them in the refrigerator for almost a week is not a good idea.

I'm with Linelle (uber hot things on top of the cooktop, or SS surround). Still, we haven't babied our Cambria Quartzite at all (including the occasional cutting by certain people directly on top of it - no names, ahem) and it's held up very well. Love it as a prep surface. As a baker, have you considered/are you able to consider deeper countertops (and uppers)? Just pull out the lower cabinets by 6" (for more cost effective solution). If uppers are deeper by the same amount, it works perfectly. 30" countertops: (in hindsight, I would have ordered deeper lower cabinets). I can roll out a pie dough and not move the canisters. Here's my old baking (prep, cleanup, baking) area; as you can see, the deeper countertops (regardless of surface) are so helpful. The deeper uppers above this area allow me to store my serving bowls vertically: Best of luck!