Baking bread is one of those skills that has gotten lost through the years but it’s easier than you think! To make yummy, home-made bread, master this easy recipe and then branch out to other recipes. Your family will love you for it.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. active dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp. sugar or honey
- 5-1/2 to 6 cups flour
- 2 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water, which should feel pleasantly warm when dropped on the wrist. Whisk in the sugar or honey. Add 2 cups of the flour into the bowl. Whisk the mixture well, then let it "proof," or sit for 10 minutes. If tiny bubbles appear and the batter looks slightly expanded, you're on the right track.
2. Stir in the salt, then add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead for 10 full minutes. (To knead, fold the dough in half and push it down and away with the heel of your hand, rotate the dough, and repeat until it is smooth and elastic.) Kneading is important so don’t skip this!
3. Form the dough into a ball and place the ball in a bowl rubbed with vegetable oil. Turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free area for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Punch the dough down. You can knead it again to remove air bubbles but you don’t have to. For two basic loaves, divide the dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle. Fold it into thirds as you would fold a letter to put it into an envelope. Turn the ends under and place the dough, seam-sides down, in greased loaf pans. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free area for about 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the bread for 30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven; if the loaves sound hollow when tapped, the bread is done. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool the loaves and wrap tightly in plastic until ready to eat. Wrapped loaves can be frozen.
Fun Variation: Braided Bread
For a braided loaf, divide the dough in half and roll it into three thick snakes, about 10 inches long. Lay the strands side by side and gently braid them. To avoid tearing the dough, braid from the center out to an end; repeat from the center to the other side.
Tuck the ends under and arrange the loaf on a greased cookie sheet. Cover the loaf with plastic and let it rise in a draft-free area for 30 minutes.
Repeat with the second half of dough.
Brush loaves with an egg wash of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water for a shiny finish.
Bake for 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic until ready to eat. The wrapped loaves can also be frozen.
For a braided loaf, divide the dough in half and roll it into three thick snakes, about 10 inches long. Lay the strands side by side and gently braid them. To avoid tearing the dough, braid from the center out to an end; repeat from the center to the other side.
Tuck the ends under and arrange the loaf on a greased cookie sheet. Cover the loaf with plastic and let it rise in a draft-free area for 30 minutes.
Repeat with the second half of dough.
Brush loaves with an egg wash of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water for a shiny finish.
Bake for 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic until ready to eat. The wrapped loaves can also be frozen.
