I don’t know why, but supposedly baking fresh bread is one of the more difficult undertakings for most people. The reason I say I don’t know why is because I guess I did it all backwards! I started with whole wheat loaf bread and cannot seem to tackle some of the more supposedly simpler baking recipes. But this one, I’ve gotten down pat!
Much of the success of the taste, I have to say I owe to fresh milling. Which of course is why the Wondermill is so fantastic! But there are many other techniques and tips that this blog just can’t go into. So if you are interested in more tips, tricks and techniques, read the last line of the blog.
For now, give this a try and see how simple, frugal and healthy it is.
Practically ‘Fool Proof’ Simple Loaf Bread
2lb Loaf Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ Cup Warm Water (100-110 degrees)
- 1 Tablespoon Oil (Olive, Canola, Safflower or Sunflower)
- ¼ Cup Sweet Stuff (Sugar, Honey or Sucanant)
- 3 ½ Cups of Freshly Milled Hard Wheat Flour (Hard White or Hard Red or 50/50)
- ¼ Cup Gluten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Instant Yeast
For Bread Machine: Put ingredients in in order given and set to ‘Dough Setting’ – now go fold clothes, vacuum and clean the shower (o:
By Hand or with Mixer/Dough Hook: Mix all the water, oil, sweet stuff together in your mixing bowl. Proof your yeast in the whole liquid if you want to. Instant yeast does not HAVE to be proofed (let get bubbly) but it won’t hurt it if you do. In a separate bowl, mix all your dry ingredients (flours, gluten, salt and yeast if you didn’t proof it)
Slowly add dry to the liquid stirring until too hard to use a spoon, then start the hand kneading process (or if in the kitchen aid – start the dough hooks, or if in the Bosch Mixer…follow directions for kneading)
Knead (by hand, by hook or by Bosch ) minimum 10 minutes – up to 15 minutes – until dough feels elastic and looks silky-like (or in Bosch Mixer – it pulls away from the sides)
Cover bowl with a clean cloth towel.
Let dough rise once in the bowl in semi warm place approximately 30 minutes or until double the size it started.
LIGHTLY punch it down to get all the air out after it rose the first time.
(All above steps are done on ‘Dough Setting’ of your bread machine)
Turn out onto AN OILED (not floured – it makes it heavy and dense) surface to REST for 5 minutes (this helps the gluten that has formed to relax a bit and not ‘crack’ the crust).
Now form your loaf by flattening by hand, and rolling up like a ‘jelly roll’ and after tucking ends in and seam side down, place it into a greased loaf pan.
Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise in a semi-warm place another 30 minutes.
Last 10 minutes of rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees (be sure your racks are placed so that loaves bake in the middle of the oven).
Bake 18-22 minutes in center of the oven. Start checking for golden tops and ‘hollow’ sound when top is tapped at about 18 minutes
Take out of pans and cool on a wire rack.
Wait at least 10 minutes before attempting to cut – or it smooshes! If you can wait that long after smelling it bake! Use a serrated knife for best results in cutting.
Other shapes/uses:
This same recipe can be hoagie rolls, burger buns or hot dog buns.
Simply shape differently and bake approximately 15 minutes on 350.
Hoagie Rolls – about 8 – divide into 8 equal weight balls of dough. Roll like a thick play-doh snake and place in a casserole dish not quite touching. They will rise and touch in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag.
Hot Dog Buns – about 10 – divide into 10 equal weight balls of dough. Roll like a thick play-doh snake and place in a casserole dish not quite touching. They will rise and touch in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag.
Burger Buns – about 8 – divide into 8 equal weight balls of dough. Make a ‘hockey puck’ with creases on the bottom and place in a casserole dish not quite touching. They will rise and touch in about 30 minutes. Bake 15 minutes on 350. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight bag.
_________________
For more detailed instructions to making the best loaf of freshly milled home made bread you may wish to look into this easy to follow e-book written by this blogger: Whole Wheat Bread Making
