Since I posted previously about baking bread I had a request from the lovely Trish of http://www.quilttalesandcattails.com/ asking if I would provide my recipe along with some pointers. So I’ve written up this recipe with a few extra tidbits recipe books don’t tell you. Maybe answer a few of those questions that may come up when your standing in your kitchen with a huge glob of dough in your hands all alone and uncertain of what to do. Hopefully, this will make the process less intimidating and you end up with yummy homemade bread and a smile on your face.
Please read through the whole recipe first and gather up your utensils and ingredients.
THREE LOAF BREAD RECIPE
I let my bread rise in the oven, so as you get started warm up your oven a bit if you choose this method. Just remember to turn the oven OFF when you put your bowl of dough in. You can also let it rise on top of your stove or in any other warm spot away from drafts.
In a microwavable glass measuring cup or a bowl combine:
1 2/3 cups total half milk/half water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fancy molasses
3 tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tbsp salt
Heat this mixture in microwave two minutes on high then stir, then a couple more minutes, stir. Do not boil, just heat to make it very warm to just hot. Remove, stir to cool down some.
Proceed with the next step while the above is heating.
Warm up a very large bowl by letting it sit with very hot tap water in it, then empty it out.
Into large bowl measure:
1 cup very warm to nearly hot tap water then stir in 1 1/2 tsp sugar to dissolve. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp regular dry yeast (not instant) covering water.
Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
Flour
8 cups flour - I use 4 cups white and 4 cups whole wheat or you can use 5 of one and 3 the other – whatever combination you prefer. I also like to throw in some whole flax seeds, maybe a 1/2 cup of ground flax seeds, wheat germ or wheat bran or some rolled oats. A bit of each, all of these or none of them. They add more fibre, texture and taste.
Are you ready…
Now add the liquid mixture to dissolved yeast along with about 3 cups of the flour mixture. Use your electric hand mixer or stir vigorously by hand for about two minutes to develop the gluten in the bread. Now using a large spoon stir in the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Have a measuring cup with about 3/4 cup extra white flour on hand, you can always add more flour as you knead if the dough is too wet and sticky. If your dough is really dry just sprinkle it with a few drops of warm water until it starts to behave. Turn dough out onto floured counter top or leave in big bowl to knead for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. When you are finished kneading, spray your bowl with oil spray and place your dough inside. I then stretch a piece of plastic wrap across the top of the bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Place it in your warm (not hot) oven (which is turned off, right?) to rise until doubled in bulk for about 1 1/2 hours. Set your timer.
Prepare Loaf Pans
I use metal loaf pans that are 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2". To prepare pans spray with oil spray and dust with flour even though they are non-stick pans. You only have to make a large batch of bread once and have them all stick in the pans to never want that to happen again.
Ready Steady Bake
When your dough has finished rising and you remove it from the oven, warm the oven up again and punch the dough down with one good punch to the center. Dump dough out onto floured counter top. Divide with a knife into three equal portions, do not be afraid of the dough you can play with it to shape your loaves it's not fragile. Work with one piece and keep the others cozy under that clean tea towel. I knead it into a 'log' shape about the length of the pan, tuck the ends under and even punch it along the top with my knuckles to make the bottom of the loaf flat. When I have shaped all three I run a sharp knife down the center of each loaf about a half an inch deep. Then place each loaf into the prepared pans giving them a good push in to fill the corners.
Now place them evenly across the center of the 'shut-off again' warm oven (do not cover) to rise until doubled in bulk for about 30 minutes - if you think your bread has risen enough at this point - let them rise to the shape you want -they will not rise any more when cooking, turn your oven on to 400 F - DO NOT REMOVE THE LOAVES FROM THE OVEN. Let cook for about 30-35 minutes. My oven is newer so I don't shift the breads around midway through but you know your own oven and do so if you want to provide for even baking of the loaves. To check if your bread is done at the end of the cooking time, tip one out of the pan and tap the bottom of it- it should sound hollow and looked nicely browned. When they are done remove bread from pans and cool on wire racks.
Now you may sit in your kitchen with a cup of tea, inhale the aroma and accept the accolades. Just as Trish has done, here is a picture of her bread from the above recipe. Bravo, Trish! Please pay her blog a visit, she can not only bake bread she gets some beautiful quilting done.
Have a great weekend, Victoria Day for my fellow Canadians, I’d love to hear from you if you give this recipe a try,
Diane
