I have had bread on my mind a lot lately, and I have to admit that the only reason I haven't done yet since I have been on this project is out of sheer laziness. I know that bread is not hard and it is not an exact mixture of ingredients like baking a cake.
The truth of bread making is in knowing what the dough should look like at what stages. In the first mixture stage it's sticky then it will begin to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Knead by hand for about five minutes on a floured board, get it into a ball and put into a bowl, cover it with a linen towel and let it double in size which will take about 1 1/2 hours. Once the dough has doubled punch it down and knead again for about 5 minutes. Baking pan ready - I use soft butter to grease the pan. Place dough in the baking pan and allow to rise again - not quite doubling. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes and its brown on top and gives a hollow sound when you tap it. Butter the top when you remove from the oven to cool.
I made this bread strictly from memory - and because of culinary school I know the stages. It takes practice, but it really is only a few simple ingredients:
Yeast
Water
Flour
Sugar or honey
Salt
Oil
I will be posting A Few Good Recipes for Bread, eventually. Baking bread should not be a scary all-day task and for Gods' sake it does not take a friggin 200.00 bread machine to make a successful loaf of bread. When looking at recipes for bread look for the ones with few ingredients and simple instructions. OMG homemade bread, butter and homemade jam....get it down because it's one of life's simple pleasures - makes a house smell like a home.
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Dont get me wrong,I love cooking.
ReplyDeleteI love mixing ingredients and making a supper that makes my husband go "babe,your the best".
However,where my true passion lies is baking,specifically,Baking Breads.
Since I could read and started cooking some,I loved baking.
At the ripe age of 8,when I was reading the Laura Ingalls books,I told my mother "I want to make bread,like the Ingalls family"
My mother didnt even know how to make much yeast bread,so I was on my own.
Starting with simple basic white bread,and by the time I was 12 I was making breads such as Challah,Finnish Pulla,Bagels,and English Muffins and Pita Bread.
To this day,If I have to make a supper out of Rachel Rays 30 minute Dinners,fine.
But,bread baking...its a passion,almost a religion for me.
I take my time,all day if needed,because its like meditation to me,it cant be rushed.
And you are right,there is no scent better in the world then bread baking.
YOU are my kinda girl!!!
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