Maltesecross asked for breadmaking info on the other thread & I thought, rather than burying this in there, I'd start a new thread....
I have a Cuisinart food processor that I used to use for making dough, but I've become quite lazy & prefer to simply use a large stainless steel bowl & the spatula that came w/ the processor (it's large & rigid - good for stirring heavy doughs)
I also have some nice bread tins - extra long - that I used to use for loaves, but now I just use a cooky sheet covered w/ baking parchment.
I used to make sweet doughs w/ lotsa ingredients, but now I just make a simple 'French' or Italian' style dough: flour, water, salt, oil & yeast - & I love to add handfuls of sunflower seeds to my breads.
If I'm making pizza, I use part semolina flour, extra virgin olive oil & add some cracked pepper,& maybe some sesame seeds - but this is my basic, all-purpose recipe:
3 1/2 cups flour (usually 2 c. WW & 1 1/2 c. unbleached) 1 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. (or more) oil (I use canola for regular bread) 1 1/3 cups warm water 1 Tbsp. yeast
In a large bowl, blend the flours, salt & oil (& add seeds, if using).I like to use a wire whisk for this.
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water (make sure it's only warm, not hot or you'll kill the yeast - you should be able to hold your finger in it comfortably for more than several seconds)I use the same wire whisk for this as well.
Add yeast mixture to flour mixture & stir, mix well until dough starts to come together.I use a hard spatula/scraper, as I said above.
I don't turn dough out, but knead it in the bowl until it's smooth (told you I'm lazy!), then cover & set aside to rise for 1 hour.
After 1 hour(or until dough is fully risen - poke your finger in it & it doesn't spring back), turn dough out on floured surface & knead VERY well until quite stiff & smooth.try to use the least am't of flour you can.Form a flattened disc & start rolling it up tightly from 1 side to the other.. Pinch the seam together & pinch & turn under the ends.Pat & smooth to form a tight 'log'.
Transfer to a parchment covered baking sheet. dust lightly w/ a bit of flour & cover w/ plastic wrap & let rise for 20-30 minutes.
While loaf is rising, preheat oven to 350-375F & adjust a rack to oven center or slightly below.
Just before placing in the oven, slash the top of the loaf w/ a VERY sharp knife or razor blade.Cut(s) should be @ least 1/2" deep.
Bake for 25-30 minutes - or until browned & hollow-sounding when rapped on the bottom.Loave(s) wil be quite hard @ 1st, but become soft upon cooling.
I usually double the recipe & make 2 loaves @ a time & freeze 1 for later.
Or you can make this recipe into 2 smaller loaves.
FWIW, the BEST breadmaking book ever IMPO, is James Beard's 'Beard on Bread' - I have an old(ca. 1970s) paperback copy that is quite stained & worn now.The 1st part of the book spells out everything you need to know about breadmaking..... http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/catalog/display.pperl?...9755043&view=oonline
Hello cb and thank you for the recipe. A friend of mine suggested a bread machine. She said she loves it and has worn out two of them in her years of marriage. What do you think of a bread machine? Talk about being lazy!
Here's my favorite bread recipe, courtesy of Topofthehill! It's the only 'grain' bread I can get my 'only white bread for me, thanks' DD to eat!
Brown Oatmeal Rolls
2 cups water (I usually use milk) 1 cup dry oatmeal 3 Tbsp. veg. oil 2 pkg. yeast 1/3 cup water 2/3 cup brown sugar (can substitute molasses or honey) 2 tsp. salt 6 cups flour
Boil two cups water and pour over oats. Cool to lukewarm. Add oil, yeast which has been dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water, sugar and salt. Beat. Add as much flour as you can mix in. Knead in more flour till dough is smooth and elastic. Let rise until double, about an hour. Shape into rolls and let rise. Bake at 350 until browned. This will make 2 loaves of bread or 2 doz. hamburger buns. I usually make it into buns for making sub sandwiches and I'm thinking it makes about a dozen and a half of those.
I have to admit I've never made these into rolls. I always make loaves and get three regular sized ones out of this recipe, or sometimes I use my mini loaf pans...the only way I can get my kids to wait until it's cool to cut it is if they can each have their own mini loaf while they wait for them to cool!!
As far as my thoughts on bread baking go (someone did ask for my thoughts, didn't they?) ....... I love baking bread. Most definitely it's my favorite thing to bake. There is something very earthy about baking your own bread from scratch. I don't think I would take a bread machine if someone gave me one. For me, the process is just as rewarding as the finished product. And when I'm feeling particularly anxious or aggravated, kneading bread is a much better substitute than wringing someone's neck! (My mom always laughs when I bring her bread - and asks who I'm mad at today!!) cb's instructions on the baking process were very much like what I do, the only difference being that I never knead my dough a second time (well, I do but only for 15 - 20 seconds to get the air bubbles out.) Mostly because any recipe I've ever had never called for that. And when I make bread it is gone so fast around here that I'd feel like it was wasted time to knead it twice. I would imagine the second kneading gives it a finer texture, but they already mow through it, so it's not like I need to work harder at enticing anyone to eat it up!
Sounds like the book cb recommended is very much along the lines (in breadbaking theory, anyway) to the book I use, and love, and wouldn't part with for anything!!! It's called Bread Book, A Baker's Almanac - by Ellen Foscue Johnson. I love it because not only does it have great recipes in a month to month format that focuses on the seasons and using what is available in the garden at that time, but it also has a great section at the beginning of the book that is very easy to understand and puts the whole process in simple terms. It explains how different ingredients (honey vs. sugar, unbleached vs. bleached flour) will produce better results, how to substitute one flour for another, etc. What I love most is that it gave me the confidence to do my own thing and be creative with the loaves I make. I can now take any basic bread recipe and change it to suit my tastes. For me, this book completely took the mystery out of baking bread, and made me feel completely confident that I could do this sucessfully. And I've been doing it now for many years, always with great results (except for my recent old yeast problems!).
Another series of bread baking books that I just love are by Patricia B. Mitchell. They are just small, paperback cookbooks - nothing fancy. But her writing style is so down-home and there is a little story that goes along with every recipe in the book....a history of times in her life that center around each recipe. It's very humorous and as you read it, you feel like you know her. And the recipes.....they are some of my very favorite. I haven't tried one in her books yet that wasn't fantastic! I think she has at least eight cookbooks out, my favorite being Loaves of Love, ISBN O-925117-52-8.
My advice, if you've never baked yeast bread before, is to get either the book cb recommended or the one I recommended by Ellen Foscue Johnson. From what cb wrote, it sounds like her book explains the process of bread baking from start to finish the same way my book does. And for someone that is new to yeast bread baking, it is essential. Baking bread from scratch isn't hard, but it is time consuming as it takes a good part of the day. YOU aren't doing something with it all that time, but the process itself takes time. It's very disheartening to have your bread not turn out because you goofed it up in the first 10 minutes and didn't realize it. The only part you can really goof up is killing the yeast with water that's too hot. Both my book and cb's book explain an easy way to ensure that doesn't happen. If you can get past that point, you really are home free as the process is pretty forgiving. That's one of the things I liked about my book - it gives you several scenarios of things that can throw a wrench in your bread baking day and how to easily work around them by refrigerating the dough, etc. I really can't say enough good things about the information part of this book. It truly covers every aspect of baking bread....almost like having a seasoned bread baker right in the kitchen with you, walking you right through the process.
OK...I'm sure you can guess by my novel-length post that I am very passionate about baking bread - the best part of it being the hugs, kisses, oohs and aahs that I get every time!!! After all, like Ria said, it IS the staff of life! If you decide to give this a try, please feel free to post any questions or difficulties you encounter and I'm sure any of us would be happy to help you through the process!! It's one of the most rewarding things I do...and I'll bet if you decide to give it a try, you'll become hooked too!!
As far a the bread macine goes. I wouldn't waste the money.
I've owned one and worn it out. I suppose for a single person it would be ok. For a family of five it just didn't cut it. One loaf of bread from the bread machine would just barely feed everyone and if there were extra people for a meal, it just wasn't enough.
And I'm like Bufffy. I love the process of making bread. There's just nothing in the world like kneading bread dough, the texture, the smell, just the satisfaction of feeding your family.
I can't recommend any books. I learned to bake bread from mom, who learned from her mom. I've read a few library books on the subject, but none of them were good enough that I rushed right out to buy my own copy.
And now, I think I'm going to have to go start a batch of bread because there's no better way to eat the plum jelly I just made than on a nice warm slice of homemade bread. Mmmmmmmmm.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bloom where you are planted.
tulips 4 buddy at yahoo dot com
Posts: 2403 | Location: Zone 4 Central South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2002
Wow! I see some loving and caring bread-making people here. I love the info and the tips. When I do get around to fluttering about with flour and yeast, I'll be sure to call on you if I need help.
I just read a fascinating novel by Jeanne Ray called "eat cake". It's about a woman who found a great deal of comfort in making cakes. Whenever she found herself in a crisis, she made a cake. If you like reading, I strongly recommend this book, as I see a lot of the same characteristics in her as I see in all who responded to my post.
**Wow! I see some loving and caring bread-making people here.**
I'll say! Thanks for adding to the discussion BG
I just want to *gently* disagree w/ Buffalo Gal on 1 teensy point - my usual breadbaking is done in a little over 2 hours - or less, if not doing a 2nd rise (like breadsticks or pretzels).
OK, CB - now you'll have to share your speedy quick secrets with me!! The very fastest recipe I have takes 3 1/2 hrs., start to finish. Others take longer depending on the directions - some call for making a sponge and letting it sit a while before adding more flour and doing the first kneading. But most of my breads take at least 5 hrs. Please pass along any tips or secrets you have! Thanks very much!
Oh hey BG - just go back & check out the 'recipe' I posted above - if you calculate the times on there (allowing maybe 15 minutes for mixing & kneading the dough) you'll see it adds up to slightly over 2 hours - maybe 2 1/2 @ the most, coz sometimes I let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hours instead of 1.
Oh yeah - & 'Beard on Bread' has some of the BEST quickbread recipes.....
