I think that homemade bread has magical powers! Baking it makes me feel like a superhero; like, somehow I’m a better person than I was before. The smell of baking bread makes my home feel like a warm, safe, hospitable place. It makes my family happy, and they behave just a little better. Eating it makes everyone smile, and they seem to be a little kinder and more patient with each other. Sharing it with others makes them grateful, and they treat me like I’ve just performed a heroic act. Yep, magical powers! …
… Plus, it’s fairly simple and inexpensive to make. It takes time, but it’s not difficult. Here’s the step by step process to bring the magic into your home. It’s worth it.
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ¼ cups warm milk (110-115 degrees F.)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 5-6 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Combine sugar and yeast in a small bowl, and stir in ½ cup of the warm milk. Let stand 10 minutes, until bubbly.
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine remaining milk with the butter, and stir until melted.
- Add the bubbly yeast mixture and flour. Stir until incorporated.
- Add salt, and knead for 10 minutes.
- Grease a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of oil.
- Form the dough into a ball. Put it into the greased bowl, then turn it over so that the entire surface of the dough has been oiled.
- Cover bowl with a clean dish towel, and let rise until double. (approximately 1 hour)
- Punch down, and turn out onto clean surface. Divide dough in half, and form each half into a ball. Cover with the towel, and let rest 15 minutes.
- Grease 2 loaf pans.
- Pound each ball into a square that’s just smaller than the length of your bread pan.
- Tightly roll each square into a loaf, squeezing out air bubbles as you roll.
- Place loaves into pans, and cover with the towel. Let rise until double. (approximately 1 hour)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place loaves into hot oven, making sure that they’re evenly spaced in the oven, not touching.
- Bake 35-45 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let rest in pans for 10 minutes.
- Turn onto wire racks and let cool.
- Makes 2 loaves
- For best results with slicing, let the bread cool completely. However, it tastes wonderful while still warm. You make the call.
In a small bowl, combine
1 tablespoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
Add
1/2 cup of the warm milk.
Stir until combined, and then let it rest until bubbly. This takes about 10 minutes.
While the yeast is proofing, combine in the bowl of a stand mixer
remaining milk (1 ¾ cups)
1 tablespoon butter
… or if you’re going to knead by hand, combine in a large mixing bowl.
Make sure that the milk has cooled, and add
5-6 cups flour
yeast mixture
Stir until incorporated
Add
2 teaspoons salt.
Knead for 10 minutes.
Transfer to a clean surface, and knead a few times with the heal of your hand.
Form into a ball.
Grease a large mixing bowl with about
½ teaspoon oil
~ OR ~
Coat with non-stick spray.
Place the dough ball into the bowl, and turn over to coat the entire surface with oil.
~ OR ~
Lightly mist with non-stick spray.
Cover with a clean (lint free) cotton dish towel, and let rise until double. (about 1 hour)
It should look something like this.
Punch down the dough, and transfer to a clean surface.
Divide in half, and form each half into a ball.
Cover with the towel, and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Grease 2 loaf pans.
With your fists, pound each ball into a square that’s slightly smaller than the length or your bread pans.
Tightly roll the dough into a loaf, making sure to squeeze out any air bubbles. Tuck the ends under.
Now, it should look like this.
Transfer it to the pan.
Like this.
Cover the loaves with the towel.
Let them rise, again, until double. (about another hour)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake them for 35-45 minutes, until they’re golden.
Remove from oven and cool in pans for 5-10 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
For easiest slicing, let cool at least 1 hour.
Enjoy with fresh butter, jam, honey, or whatever.