Homemade BREAD....

There are SO many bloggers and food websites out there that churn out wonderful baked goods, especially bread!

My blog here tonight is intended for those folks who have either (1) Tried to make homemade bread and were disappointed with the results, or (2) have NEVER made homemade bread.

Believe me, I have turned out many a BRICK of bread over the years, and finally learned what
not to do. (A lot like my life, actually, lol)

Anyway, I encourage you to give this a TRY......it WILL work and you will so enjoy the results.

Take a 2 quart bowl, plastic or tin or whatever, and first of all....fill it with HOT water and let it heat up for 10 minutes......

More breads are ruined because folks pour warm water into a cold bowl......and the temperature declines and the yeast won't rise....

SO.... (trust me, ) warm the bowl with water.....

pour the water out, now we are going to "proof" the yeast......

sprinkle one or two packages of yeast, (dry usually) onto 1/2 cup of very warm water...... here's the deal....pour the water in first and make sure it's 'very warm' to the touch, not overly hot.....if you can't keep your fingers in it, it TOO hot! If you can, but it's very warm, it's the perfect temperature.....You see what I mean? I know, I know, I could tell you the water should be exactly 183 degrees, but I'm a visual and feel guy when cooking or baking, and especially so with bread. So trust your judgment.

Once the water is perfect, after you heated the bowl.....add two to three tablespoons of sugar, to the one or two packages of yeast......

Stir......

and let it sit.....

This is called proofing.......

If, after 15 minutes, that mess in the bowl is BUBBLING up and all FOAMY, then everything is perfect, and you are ready to proceed.....

If, after 15 minutes, that stuff looks like old cream of wheat, and ain't got no bubbles, then throw it away, 'cause it ain't gonna rise...

You see what I mean? Proof the yeast first.....If it works, your bread will be beautiful......

Whew.....

Now onto step two.....

Now, in a bowl, place two TBL butter, one cup milk, two TBL more of sugar....and microwave until just melted......

add to the yeast mixture......and immediately add..... one cup of flour and one tbl of salt...... and run the mixer with the dough attachment...... (Or mix by hand but this will be tougher but good for your arm strength)

It will no doubt be sticky and loose.....

so add flour in 1/2 cup increments, and continue to beat, until the dough, clumps around the dough hook solidly....... (Or your spoon)

It may take two more cups of flour, don't worry......just add 1/2 cup, and watch as it beats in.....and wait....

When it is all sticky, and clumped around the beater........in a solid ball....you are done

throw some flour on a board....over a 10 inch area........and scrape out the sticky dough
onto the flour....... Throw a bunch of flour over the top...........

and then you knead the bread.... you knead by pulling up 1/3 of the round mess under your hands and pressing it down with the heel of your hand, turning the pile of dough 1/3 around, and picking up a side and mashing it into the remaining dough, and turning again and picking up and mashing......

and you do this about 15 times....... turn, mash, turn mash, all with the heel of your hand......

You'll notice the bread dough will be getting lighter, more incorporated with flour, and smoother.....

don't overknead...... 12 - 15 times should do it...

Now, you need to let the dough rise once......so take a bowl, (the same one you used if you want, but wash it out) Add a tbl of oil, and swish around some oil with a papertowel to spread the oil.........

place the "dough ball" into the bowl, and turn over, and cover with a towel or paper towel, and let rise for one hour in a warm place.....(I usually let the oven heat at 300 for two minutes and then shut it off, so the oven is "warm"

It will rise until "doubled"

Take it out of the bowl, drop onto floured bowl, and punch down to take all the air out....

Knead only two or three times.....

Now, you probably have enough dough for TWO loaves.....

So cut in half..... butter and flour two loaf pans.......

Shape each loaf into a loaf shape and place in pan.....

place into slightly heated oven and let rise again for 45 minutes to an hour.....

remove from oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees.....

at this point you can cut diagonally across each loaf a bit to give some definition, and/or wipe the top of the loaf with melted butter...

(my personal favorite)

and place loaves into oven and bake for 45 minutes....and/or

until tapping on the top of the baked loaf sounds "hollow".... take 'em out, cut 'em up, butter and jelly, and enjoy.....

You've just made homemade bread.....!

Trust me, this will work.....as this IS the definitive way to make bread.... From this basic procedure and recipe we will tweak it to make, Calzones, Pizza dough, Cinnamon Rolls, etc.

Enjoy!



C'mon, tell me you don't wanna make one of THESE in your kitchen.....