Bread Recipes From Scratch

HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer add the yeast, water and a pinch of the sugar or honey. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes until foaming and bubbly. (This is called "proofing" the yeast, to make sure it is active. If it doesn't foam, the yeast is no good, and you need to start over with fresh yeast).
• Add remaining sugar or honey, salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour. Mix to combine.
• Add another cup of flour and mix to combine. With the mixer running add more flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be smooth and elastic, and slightly stick to a clean finger, but not be overly sticky. Add a little more flour, if needed.
• Knead the dough: Mix the dough for 4-5 minutes on medium speed (or knead with your hands on a lightly floured surface, for 5-8 minutes).
• First Rise: Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place* until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Spray two 9x5'' bread pans generously with cooking spray on all sides. (I also like to line the bottom of the pans with a small piece of parchment or wax paper, but this is optional.)
• Punch the dough down well to remove air bubbles. Divide into two equal portions. Shape each ball into long logs and place into greased loaf pans.
• Second rise: Spray two pieces of plastic wrap with cooking spray and lay them gently over the pans. Allow dough to rise again for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until risen about 1 inch above the loaf pans. Gently removing covering.
• Bake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake bread for about 30-33 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Give the top of a loaf a gentle tap; it should sound hollow.
• Invert the loaves onto a wire cooling rack. Brush the tops with butter and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
• Once cool, store in an airtight container or bag for 2-3 days at room temperature, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

BASIC HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand until bubbles form on surface. Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape each into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours., Bake at 375° until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped or has reached an internal temperature of 200°, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

HOW TO MAKE BREAD FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 package of yeast in a bowl with 2.25 cups (530 mL) of warm water. Fill a large bowl with warm water, preferably filtered or boiled to remove any traces of chlorine. Then, pour in the dry yeast and wait for it to dissolve, stirring occasionally to help the yeast combine with the water. Be sure to use dry active yeast, rather than quick yeast. The yeast may begin to bubble when you add it into the water and as it dissolves.
• Stir in sugar, salt, canola oil, and 3 cups (384 g) of flour. Add the 3 tbsp (37.5 g) of sugar, 1 tbsp (17.06 g) of salt, and 2 tbsp (36.88 g) of canola oil, stirring the mixture. Pour in the flour and beat the mixture until it is a smooth, batter-like consistency. Remember, you aren't pouring in all of the flour just yet, as this can cause the dough to become too stiff.
• Add the remaining 3.5 cups (446 g) of flour ½ cup (62 g) at a time. Begin adding the remainder of the flour into the bowl, stirring and beating the dough after each addition. Continue stirring and working the mixture until it has a smooth, near-solidified consistency, like a very soft dough. It's important to work gradually, as adding the flour all at once can make the dough crumbly and dry.
• Dust a flat surface with flour and pour the dough out of the bowl. Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a small area, and then carefully dump the contents of the bowl onto the counter. Cup your hands around the dough to make sure that it stays in a contained area and doesn't spread across the counter before you begin kneading. If the dough seems to have a liquid consistency, continue stirring the mixture until it becomes more solid and dough-like.
• Knead the dough with your hands for 8-10 minutes. Roll, squeeze, press, and pull on the dough to add some elasticity to the bread. This will incorporate air pockets into the dough, activating the yeast so it will expand and grow. Once the dough has an elastic consistency, stop kneading. If you knead the dough for too long, the bread will likely be tough and too chewy.
• Grease a bowl and place the kneaded dough in it. Spray the inside of a bowl with oil or fat, and carefully pick up the dough and transfer it into the bowl. In the bowl, spin the dough around and flip it over in the bowl to ensure that all sides are coated with the preferred fat. This helps to give the bread a crusty outer shell and keeps the dough moist while it rises.
• Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Drape a towel over the top of the bowl so that it's covered completely. Then, put the bowl in a sunny window or on the counter under the light so that it is slightly warm as it rises. Check the bowl after 1 hour, and if it hasn't grown to twice its size, let it sit for an additional 15-30 minutes. Some doughs require colder temperatures to rise, but warm temperatures will help this simple dough rise quickly.
• Divide and shape each half into a loaf, placing them in greased pans. Pull the dough out of the bowl and use a knife to slice it into approximately equal halves. Then, use your hands to shape them into loaf-shaped tubes, and place each in a pan that has been sprayed or coated with fat. The halves don't have to be perfectly equal, so you don't need to worry about weighing or measuring the dough. The fat will ensure a crispy, solid crust on the outside of the bread.
• Let the loaves rise for 30-45 minutes covered with a towel. Cover each pan with a towel and set them on the counter. This is the final rise, and will give the loaves time to "rest" and grow a bit more before going into the oven. After 30 minutes, check each loaf to make sure it has risen slightly in the pan. Depending on the temperature and humidity, some loaves won't rise very much in the pans. As long as the dough grew during the first rise, your loaves will likely turn out fine!
• Bake at 375 °F (191 °C) for 30-35 minutes. Remove the towel from the pans and place them on the center rack of the oven. After 30 minutes, check the bread by pulling it out of the oven and carefully tapping on the crust. If it sounds hollow, the loaves are ready! Let them cool completely before slicing. If they don't sound hollow, bake them for an additional 5 minutes to ensure the middle of the bread is completely cooked.Tip: Avoid using a toothpick to check the doneness of your loaves, since puncturing the crust can cause the loaf to cool quickly and form holes in the bread.