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Homemade Bread--Easy as Pie!
by Victoria Ries
Description: Tips and recipe for making homemade bread.
There's nothing more tempting than the aroma of hot, fresh homemade
bread, straight from the oven! Spread it with butter, jam, jelly or
whatever takes your fancy, and you'll be coming back for more—so will
everyone else—make plenty!
Nearly 12,000 years ago, in Neolithic times, coarsely crushed grain
mixed with water was laid on heated stones, and baked in hot ashes—
the birth of flat breads; still part of everyday fare in Africa, Asia
and the Middle East. Discovery of naturally fermenting wheat dough's
by the Egyptians, produced a light, airy loaf similar to those of
today. Egyptians are credited with developing the first baking ovens.
The following recipe has been a favorite of my family since my 26
year-old son, was a toddler. I've sold bread to earn extra cash when
times were hard—this recipe in particular, was a hot seller!
If you've never made bread before—please try this recipe; it's
virtually foolproof. My ten year-old daughter made this bread recipe
for the first time; it was absolutely delicious! So don't be put off –
if a child can make it; so can you!
Reader comment: I've always used a food processor or bread machine to make
bread until I saw this recipe last night.
I figured if a 10 year old could make it and succeed, so could I. The
directions were complete, simple, and correct! I made my first two
kneaded loaves of bread last night and now I can see why one would want go
to the extra effort. This was the most delicious bread I've ever
tasted in my life! (and I've made lots of bread) Thank you Victoria Ries
for sharing this wonderful, easy bread recipe! I'm putting my bread
machine and food processor away!
You will need:
UTENSILS
1 large mixing bowl
1 large spoon
1 tablespoon measure
1 large mug or glass for proving the yeast
Greased baking pans
INGREDIENTS
5-lb bag of all purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-tablespoon vegetable shortening; lard or bacon grease
1 cup of cold milk
3 cups of boiling water
1 package of dry yeast
METHOD
In a large mug or glass, pour about four fluid ounces of almost hot
water—not too hot; it will kill the yeast. Add a small pinch of sugar
and the package of yeast; stir and set aside to "work."
In a large mixing bowl place the salt, sugar and shortening. Add
three cups of boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the milk;
stir.
Check the yeast; it should be bubbly and almost to the top of the
glass. Add to the milk mixture in the large mixing bowl and stir well
to distribute the yeast evenly.
Add flour a cup at a time, and stir well after each addition. When
dough becomes too difficult to stir with the spoon, start balling it
up with your hands. Add enough flour to keep your hands from sticking
to the dough—don't over flour—it will make the bread hard! Keep the
dough the consistency of a marshmallow. You won't need to use the
whole bag of flour!
Then I knead this dough within the bowl (it will still come out
perfectly!). Knead the dough until it is smooth and soft—about seven
minutes. The sides of the bowl should be clean. You will know the
dough is ready for the first raising, when you can poke your finger
into it, and the hole springs back at you.
Grease the dough all over with a used margarine wrapper; place in
original bowl and cover with a paper towel. Set in a warm place near
the woodstove or in an airing cupboard—a temperature of 85 degrees is
ideal.
When the dough has doubled its bulk—punch down and knead again but
don't add more flour. Divide dough into balls, for rolls;
long "sausages," for a braid and place in greased baking pans or
place formed dough into loaf pans. You can even roll some out to make
a pizza, at this stage!
Cover again with paper towels and set in a warm place for the second
raising.
When raised, bake in a 400-degree oven for about twenty minutes,
until golden brown. The bread will be done, when it makes a, "hollow"
sound, when tapped on the bottom of the loaf with your knuckles.
On removing from the oven, grease all sides of the bread crust with
butter, margarine or shortening. Leave to cool on a rack—if you can
wait that long!
Bon Appetit!
Reprinted with permission.
