Make it Yourself: Bread
by Rachel Tayse • February 10, 2009 • Make it Yourself • 9 Comments
Building on the popularity of our Homemade Eating post, we’re starting a series of posts called Make it Yourself. Each one will include tips and ideas to make for yourself foods that are often store bought.
First up is bread.
sandwich bread
We have experimented with yeast bread baking for years. We now have it down to a routine where Alex bakes as we need it, about once a week. Lil almost always helps him. Here’s her recipe:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwcjKdDFCh4]
We don’t actually usually use the same recipe every time (and never is it exactly like Lil said!). Instead, we use general ratios.
If you have never made bread before, take a look at the Instructables Tutorial.
Our basic ratio for basic bread is 1 part liquid to 3 parts flour. The liquid can be almost anything: water, beer, milk, club soda, etc… Beer will come through as a distinct flavor and can make for a light bread as the carbonation helps somewhat in the rising process. Milk breads tend to be denser and the milk can add sweetness to the bread.
Use 1 – 2 tbsp of dry yeast to 1 cup liquid with 1 tbsp sweetener. We usually use honey because it has great flavor and is healthier than processed sugar. White, brown, or turbinado sugar would be work too.
Add 1 tsp salt per 1 cup liquid recipe. This is easy to forget, but you will miss it if it’s gone.
Then, there’s the mix-ins. 1/2 cup dry oats adds a nice body and keeps bread moist for longer. Olive oil, butter, or egg adds richness and moistness. Try herbs and spices for flavor. Dough can be topped off with egg wash, salt water, or olive oil.
Knead, let rise, punch down, shape, let rise again, and bake!
Bread can be as simple as that. For reliable easy baking, we would be lost without the following tools:
*Stoneware pan – Whether we are baking a regular loaf or round, we use baking stoneware. The baked bread never sticks and forms a great crust. We have a loaf pan and pizza stone and these suit us for everything we bake except muffins. A stoneware muffin pan has been on my birthday and xmas list for years now…still waiting for someone to get it for me.
*Bread flour – Bread flour is higher in gluten and protein than regular flour. This allows for better rising and chewiness in the final product. We use at least 50% bread flour for sandwich bread. King Arthur is our preferred brand, although we are looking for a more local source.
*Time – The first rise takes 1 – 2 hours, second takes about an hour. There’s no way to rush yeast bread. You can, however, use time manipulation to your advantage. One trick we often employ is to make the dough in the evening and allow to rise in the fridge overnight. Then, Alex pulls out the dough when he feeds the dogs in the early morning. I form it into a loaf when I get up an hour or so later, leave to rise the second time, and bake just before lunch.
It also works fairly well to freeze dough after the first rise. Just be sure you allow lots of time for the dough to warm through second rise before baking. Sometimes I make a huge batch of yeast cinnamon rolls and freeze them after first rise to have an easy yummy brunch dish.
*Bread box. Our bread box keeps bread fresh for at least 4 days. Because we are generally lazy and unafraid of germs, we keep the bread knife right there for easy slicing in the box. We have this one:
brabantia bread box
An alternative that seems reasonable is to keep loaves in a cotton sack at room temperature but we have never experimented with that.
We make bread because it is fun and healthy. Do you?
I started making bread weekly (after a 4 yr break) and I don’t think I’ll go back to store bought ever again. Love the suggestions for other liquids to use.
Thanks!
We bought a zojirushi bread machine and were
making it for a while weekly but not so much as of late. Do you only use your oven or do you alternate with a bread machine?
You have now inspired me to start again. Do you ever use any dough enhancers or whey-anything additional?
You can use yogurt, buttermilk, or whey in addition to other liquids. I’ve even used cottage cheese, it made a wonderfully moist loaf. The different types of flour you use can make a difference as well.
There is nothing better than fresh baked bread!
love this!!!! We are making bread this weekend! thanks!
I was just thinking about making bread today. Then I go online, check my favorite local food blog, and voila, they have posted a link to this site which has an interesting post about bread. I am going to try it this weekend.
I have been making bread for about a year using the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book. I love having the bread dough in the fridge to use as needed (for pizzas!) and there is no punching involved (unless my day has taken a turn for the worse). Now that I am getting to be an old hand at this, I will definitely try experimenting more. I love the idea of adding beer!
Realy nice post. I have found your blog about google and will visite it regulary.
I haven’t bought bread since I retired last year and one of my favourites is this non-knead wholemeal. Dense and delicious and keeps moist for several days in the bread bin. The simplest, quickest recipe ever.
1.25lbs wholemeal flour (or wholemeal and granary mix)
14 fluid ozs hand hot water (half boiling, half cold is about right)
tablespoon of sweetener (molasses sugar works well)
teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons dried yeast
Mix all dry ingredients well. Add liquid and mix with wooden spoon. Best a little on the sticky side – if dryish add a little more liquid. Turn onto floured surface, pat into rectangle, fold over in thirds. Place in oiled bread pan, sprinkle with flour, leave to rise until doubled in size. Bake at 200degrees Celcius ( I think that is probably 400 F – but at normal breadbaking temp in your oven) for 25 mins or until it sounds hollow when bottom tapped.
Eve – sometimes I still love super soft white store bought Italian bread. We’ve never replicated that texture at home and don’t want to because it requires so much white flour.
Patgergardengirl – We have never had a bread machine, just use our oven.
We typically start a loaf at 400 in the oven for the first 15-20 minutes, then remove from pan and bake until done at 350.
We haven’t experimented with whey or other additives.
I’m interested to hear how baking goes for you!