Basic Homemade Bread

It has come to my attention that we’ve never posted a basic bread recipe, even though we talk about it all the time, and have posted other related things like breadsticks and pizza.  This is clearly an oversight!  So, for those of you looking for the low-down on how to make your own bread….

Basic Homemade Bread

• 2 TBSP dry yeast (or 1 package)
• 2 c. warm water (not hot, not cold)
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 c. flour

To start with, you need to make what’s called the “sponge.”  This is the first mixture that gets the yeast working.  So put the yeast, water, sugar, salt, oil, and flour into a large bowl.  (I use my KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook, which really makes it easy.)  Mix until the flour is wet.  Let it stand for 15 minutes or so, until you see it starting to bubble and foam.

• 3-5 c. flour

Now start the mixer at a medium-low speed, and start adding the flour 1/2 c. at a time.  Allow the flour to get mixed into the dough each time before adding more.  This allows the gluten strands to form, and prevents you from adding so much flour at one time that it gets too dry.  How much flour goes into the dough will depend on what kind of flour you are using (I use all-purpose, but a bread flour will also work well), and also on the humidity and temperature in the room.  I usually end up adding about 4 cups or so.  If you are using a mixer, it will be easy to see when the dough is the right consistency:  the dough will pull away from the sides and bottom of the mixer cleanly.

If you are mixing by hand, you want to stir enough flour in to allow the dough to form and not be runny.  Once this has happened, turn it out onto a floured counter, and start kneading it with your hands.  Using your fingers, and pull the far side of the dough up and toward you, then set the balls of your hands down in the middle and push it away.  Turn the dough a quarter-turn, and repeat.  Keep doing this, adding a little flour at a time.  You will know the dough is the right consistency when it is smooth and elastic, not too sticky and not too dry, and about the same texture of your earlobe.  (Don’t ask me why–but it is the right feel.) Put the dough back into the large bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic or a towel.  Allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to an hour, until it has doubled in size.  At the end of this time, preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Turn the dough out onto a floured counter, and sprinkle with a bit of flour.  Knead, turning it 4 or 5 times.  If you are going to bake it in loaf pans, cut the dough into 2 equal parts and knead it a few more times before putting it into 2 greased loaf pans.  Or, if you are going to make it in one big round loaf, set the dough on a cookie sheet (either spray it with cooking spray, or sprinkle it with a bit of dry oatmeal or corn meal.)  Slash the top in whatever pattern you want, with a sharp knife across the surface of the dough.  Allow the dough to rise for another 15-30 minutes in a warm location.  (I like to set the pan/s on the non-heated stove-top while the oven is preheating.)

Bake at 400ºF for 20-30 minutes, watching carefully at the end to make sure it doesn’t get too dark on the bottom. It should be golden brown on the top.  When it is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting.   Serve warm, with lashings of butter.

Variations:  You can vary the amounts of sugar and salt to vary the flavor.  Or you can use brown sugar, honey, or molasses as your sugar.  All of these will result in a sweeter bread.  You can skip the olive oil if you want a more crusty outside.  After the sponge stage, you can add minced garlic and/or dried herbs to make the bread more savory.  You can also add shredded Parmesan cheese.  Or you can go more sweet, and add cardamom, cinnamon, or nutmeg.  You can substitute any of the following for some of the flour:  whole wheat flour, oatmeal, millet, rye flour, ground flax seed, or any cereal grain.  (I often throw in the leftovers from the morning’s cooked cereal.)  You’ll want to experiment with how these affect the texture, and how much flour is needed.  For example, when I use whole wheat flour, I generally throw in 1/2 to 1 cup of whole wheat, with another 2 cups or so of white flour–you need less flour if some of it is whole wheat.  The same is true of most of the cereal grains, unless the cereal you are adding is cooked cereal, in which case you are also adding more fluid, so you may need more flour.

Enjoy playing with the art of bread-making.  If you have any great tricks or variations, we’d love to hear from you.

Laura