Friday, November 11, 2011

Easiest Homemade Bread

I attempted to bake some bread today.  I think I succeeded.  I put some ingredients in a bowl, mixed it up, baked it, and I had two loaves of homemade bread.  It was good. It wasn't great.
I need to practice.

Here's my recipe:
5 to 5 1/2 C bread flour
1 1/2 T fast-acting yeast
4 T sugar
1 1/2 t fine sea salt
1/4 C canola oil
1/2 C milk
2 C hot tap water
Extra flour for kneading.

Mix flour (start with 5 cups), yeast, sugar and salt in mixer.  Add oil, milk and water.  Mix on low for 5 minutes or until it starts to form a ball.  (If yours is still very sticky, add a little more flour here. I didn't do this until later, and I think that was my mistake.) I tried to take out and knead at this point, but it was still too sticky, and I couldn't get it to stay together.  I added 2 tablespoons or so of flour and put it back in the mixer, I let it go for another 5 minutes.  This tightened it up and I was able to knead much better on my board.  Knead for just a few minutes, then cut dough into two parts.  I formed two round loaves.
Spray cookie sheet with spray, then place loaves on it.
Cover with dry towel and place in warm spot to rise, about 45 minutes-1 hour.

Slice an "X" with tip of sharp knife on each loaf.  Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30-40 minutes.  Check bread at 30 min. Should be golden brown on top, and hollow sound when tapped.
I had to bake mine a little longer, it wasn't quite done inside.

It tasted good, like homemade bread should.  But it was a little underdone in one small section...and I believe my mistake was adding the extra flour after it had been in the mixer and taken out, and then back in again.
I've been reading online, next time I will use cornmeal or sugar on my board instead of extra flour. 

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