Dear Blogging Friends, I would like to start making my own sandwich bread and have been collecting recipes to try out. Do any of you make yeast bread from scratch?? (No bread machine recipes please.) Would you be willing to share your recipe with me?
I would like to test out all the recipes I get and see which one will be my regular standby bread. I'll update you with my finds in a few weeks.
6 comments:
I make my own bread and I really like the recipe. I mill my own flour so I am not sure what it would taste like with anything else. But you should give it a try.
Slightly Sweet But Very Simple Whole Wheat Bread
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup (extra virgin,light tasting) olive oil (1/3 c. if using egg)
1/2 cup honey
3 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 egg (optional)
5 cups freshly milled flour ( I use Kamut and either hard red or hard white. I like the hard white taste a little better for sandwich bread)
2 tsp. salt
1-2 Tbs. lecithin (optional)
1/2 tsp. gluten (optional)
combine water, oil, honey and egg. Add 3 cups of flour, yeast, salt, lecithin, and gluten. Mix thoroughly. Add the remaining flour and knead until smooth and elastic, about 7-10 min. (I usually add more flour as I am kneading.) Place in greased pans and let it rise to size. (I usually place a hand towel over top of pans and place in oven with the light on except in summer, it will rise fast then) Leave loaves in the oven during preheat. 350 for total of 30 min. (including preheat)
I hope that helps. Have fun with your findings.
Thanks Bil. Now, how do you mill your own flour? That is interesting. And, do you use lecithin and gluten? If so, where do you buy those?
Michelle- To respond to your question to Billie. I know one thing. You can buy gluten in stores. Particularly if they have a health/organic type section. Farm Fresh and Harris Teeter carry gluten. I don't know about Lecithin though. Hodgson Mill and Arrowhead Mills both put out gluten. It's called Vital Wheat Gluten. Gluten is known to make higher rising loaves, extend freshness, increase protein and improve the shape of bread- at least that's what Hodgson Mill says. :)
I have to give you my FAVORITE bread recipe. I love this one. It's great for sandwiches and I love it just out of the oven with butter and honey. Yum!
It's actually on the back of King Arthur Flour: All Natural Traditional Whole Wheat Flour.
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey,molasses, or maple syrup
1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast in 2 tablespoons water
Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands and knead it for 6-8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.
Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degrees oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after about 20 min. Test its doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temp. with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190 degrees F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.
Yield: 1 Load
P.S.~ This seems like a lot but it's rewarding. It's fun to make and delicious.
Hope you enjoy!
Jennifer
I have a mill. I buy all my wheat, honey, lecithin, etc. etc. from www.breadbeckers.com I got my mill there too. I think you can go online and read up on all their info. They are local for me but I think they co-op all over so that might be an option for you. You can also buy a recipe book from them that has really great recipes in it. If you end up going this route I would love to answer any questions I can. Yes, I do use lecithin and gluten. Toodles
Go Michelle! I love your ambition in the kitchen! Let me know how it goes. I'll let you do the leg work for me - I need a FOOL PROOF recipe. :)
Michelle, the pixar movie Ratatouille was definitely for people like you :)
You know who to ask... Andrea! She was telling us about her bread baking last night and was getting way too excited about it.
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