Baked Bread

Love the Smell of Fresh Bread? Make Your Own! It’s Easy!

Far too many people don’t know how fantastic homemade bread really is. Store bought bread can’t begin to compare, and neither can bread-machine-made bread. In fact, while bread machines are easy (just pop in the ingredients, turn the machine on, and leave the kitchen), the end resultis often not satisfactory, which only encourages the myth that homemade bread is beyond the average household.

The truth is baking bread is not difficult. Even someone with little to no baking or cooking experience can make a scrumptious loaf of bread their family or dinner guests will gobble down. Making bread is fun, too — even therapeutic. The only real downside to homemade bread is that it disappears so quickly. Too, you’ll want to make sure you have a trusted, reliable bread recipe.

It does take a little bit of time to make bread — not so much actual work time, but waiting time (while the yeast makes the dough rise). So pick a day you’re planning to be at home, turn on some favorite music, and enjoy the process — and the smells! — of good, old fashioned bread. And if you have kids, they’ll love to help, too.

Here’s a favorite, easy recipe for warm, soft, homemade bread.

What you’ll need:

1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 ½ packages dry yeast
4 1/2 cups flour, divided (for best results, use white flour)

1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg

How to do it:

In a small bowl, mix ½ cup warm water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and the yeast; set aside. Good, active yeast will double in size by the time you’re ready to mix it into the dough.

In a saucepan, mix 1 cup flour with 1 ½ cups water. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. The mixture will get lumpy and stick to the pan, but if you keep cooking and stirring, it will smooth out.

Once the mixture is smooth, remove from the stove and add 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, salt, milk, oil, egg, and 1 cup flour. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Add 2 ½ cups flour. Mix well.

Leave the dough in the pan, covering it with a clean dish towel and placing it in a reasonably warm, non-drafty place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Sprinkle flour onto the kitchen counter or a cutting board and place the full lump of dough on it. (The dough should be shaped like a slightly flattened ball.) Sprinkle a small amount of flour on top of the dough. Knead* 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.

Cover the dough again and let it sit for 15 minutes. Knead a few strokes, then cut into two equal parts. Cover and allow it to sit another 15 minutes. Shape each piece into a rounded rectangle. Place each rectangle onto a greased cookie sheet, cover with towel, and let rise until about double. Bake at 375 º for 30 to 35 minutes and enjoy!

* HOW TO KNEAD BREAD:

1. Cover your hands with a light dusting of flour.

2. Using the heel of your hands, press down and push the dough away from you. Then fold the dough back over itself, toward you.

3. Turn the dough one quarter- to half-way around and repeat step 2.

4. Follow the recipe directions to know how long to knead the dough. When the recipe doesn’t specify, knead until the dough is smooth and shiny. When you pinch a bit of well-kneaded dough in your fingers, it should feel a lot like pinching your earlobe.

About the Author

Kristina Seleshanko is a former research librarian for "Gourmet" magazine and the author of 16 books. For more information, visit www.KristinaSeleshanko.com.

BFPE Senior Project - Par Baked Bread


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