Home-baked Breads

From Jody's Kitchen

Why has our poetry eschewed
The rapture and response of food?
What hymns are sung, what praises said
To home-made miracles of bread?
~Louis Untermeyer

 


 

Soft and Fast Bread Sticks  ~Original recipe from Laine who is an inspirational homemaker.
1 c. warm water
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 c. oil
2 1/2 c. bread flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour (can use all bread flour if desired)
2 1/2 t. yeast

BREAD MACHINE INSTRUCTIONS:
Put all in order in the bread machine. Set to dough cycle. Let rise in the machine.

NON-BREAD MACHINE
Let yeast soak in warm water (lukewarm) for 3-5 minutes and then add remaining ingredients, adding the flour last and one cup at a time. Let raise 1 hour (or 20 minutes if in a hurry)
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Take out and pat into a semi-long rectangle, (about 9x11). Take a pizza cutter and slice lengthwise into 7 or 8 strips. Take one strip at a time and twist a bit before laying on a greased cookie sheet. Do the rest of the strips putting them an inch away from each other on the pan. Cover and let rise. (I do this in a warm place, they rise fast.) Brush with melted butter and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. (If I want thinner breadsticks I cut them thinner and into 14 or 15 strips.

I've brushed some of the risen breadsticks with olive oil, then sprinkled them with herbs, garlic and a little salt. I called them "Italian breadsticks." You can dip into warm spaghetti sauce or serve with Spaghetti.
I've also taken strips of dough, cut it in half, and twist it. Then I let them rise and brush them with melted butter, after sprinkling with a little cinnamon/sugar.

When I doubled this, I could make 18 large hamburger buns.

I usually double this for breadsticks for our family and I've also used it as a pizza dough except I do not let it raise again after rolling it out into the greased pan. Prick dough with fork and bake 10 min, add toppings and then bake another 10 minutes or until bubbly and golden.  Sometimes I make this batch (4-times the recipe) and make several pre-baked pizza crusts for the freezer. 
~Jody


Whole Wheat Bread  ~From Marynew

3 cups lukewarm water (85°-105°)
1½ Tablespoons dry yeast (2 packages)
¼ cup sweetening (honey, molasses, or brown sugar)
1 cup dry milk (optional)
4 cups whole wheat flour (substitute 1 or more cups unbleached white flour if desired)
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup oil or butter or margarine
3 cups additional whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour for kneading

Dissolve the yeast in the water.
Stir in sweetening and dry milk.
Stir in the 4 cups of whole wheat flour to form a thick batter.
Beat well with a spoon (100 strokes).
Let rise 45 minutes.
Fold in the salt and oil.
Fold in an additional 3 cups of flour until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead on a floured board, using more flour (about 1 cup) as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the board, about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth.
Let rise 50-60 minutes until doubled in size.  Punch down.  Let rise 40-50 minutes until doubled in size.  Shape into loaves and place in pans.  Let rise 20-25 minutes. 

Brush tops with Egg Wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 T milk)
Bake in a 350° oven for 1 hour, or until golden brown.  Remove from pans and let cool---or eat right away.

Directions for a Kitchen Aid with a Dough Hook:
Dissolve the yeast in the water.
Stir in sweetening (I do not use dry milk)
Stir in the 4 cups of whole wheat flour to form a thick batter.
Beat until moistened with the egg beater attachment. The sponge should look elastic. but do not overdo it! Or you will kill the yeast. Half a minute ought to do. Cover your Kitchen Aid bowl with a warm damp cloth.  Let rise 45 minutes.  Attach your dough hook.  Fold in the salt and oil on "Stir"  Add all at once an additional 2 cups of flour on "Speed 2" until all the ingredients are moistened. Again, do not overdo it. About 1-2 minutes is good.  Knead on a floured board, using more flour (about 1 cup) as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the board, about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
Let rise 50-60 minutes until doubled in size.  Punch down.  Let rise 40-50 minutes until doubled in size. 
Shape into loaves and place in pans.  Let rise 20-25 minutes.  Bake in a 350° oven for 1 hour, or until golden brown.
Remove from pans and let cool---or eat right away.
(How can one resist a slice of this hot bread with a pat of butter and a daub of honey!)


Shelisa Craig’s Perfect French Bread  ~Shelisa is a homeschooler/baker supreme!

Dissolve:
2 T dry yeast in
½ c. warm water
½ t. sugar

Combine:
2 T sugar
2 T oil
2 t salt
2 c. warm water

Stir in:
7-8 c flour

Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a bowl that has been sprayed with Pam, turning once to grease top. Let rise until doubled. Punch down, rest 15 minutes. Divide dough in half. On floured surface, roll each half to a 12x15” rectangle. Roll up, starting at the 15” edge. Place loaves on greased cookie sheets. Make 4-5 slashes across tops. Let rise until double.

Mix and brush on:
1 egg, beaten
2 T milk
Then bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.


White Bread  ~The Joy of Cooking

This recipe is a straight dough which stales slowly and cuts well for sandwiches.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 c. lukewarm water with 2 t. dry yeast. Allow to soak 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Scald: 1 c. milk

In large bowl add:
scalded milk
1 c. water
1 T shortening
1 T butter
2 T sugar
1 T salt
Then add 3 cups flour and the dissolved yeast mixture. Beat well and gradually add 3 1/2 more cups of flour, working in with spoon and by hand until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
Place in a greased bowl and turn the dough over once to completely coat in oil. Cover with dish towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1 hour). Punch down and if time permits, allow to raise again to double sized. If not, split the dough into two lumps and form into loaves. Place in greased pans and cover and let rise again until almost double. Preheat oven to 450*. Bake bread at this temp. for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350* about 25-30 minutes more. Remove loaves from pans immediately and cool on wire rack before storing. Recipe may be doubled easily.


Peggy's Big Batch of Bread (6 loaves)

In a separate bowl mix:
1 c. warm water, 2 T yeast, 1 t. sugar
Set aside and allow to dissolve.

In a large bowl mix:

3/4 c. Crisco shortening (or oil)
3/4 c sugar
2 T. salt
5 c. hot water

Mix this together well and gradually add:
8 cups flour
Thoroughly mix and then add the yeast mixture to this. Mix well and then add:

6-8 more cups of flour gradually. Knead 10 minutes by hand or about 5 minutes with bread hooks. Raise in greased bowl until double (1 hour). Punch down and shape into loaves (5 or 6?) Raise one more hour or until double in size. Bake 400* for first 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350* for another 25 minutes.

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I have tweaked this recipe from it's original (above) by adding part whole wheat flour to replace some of the white flour. I also use oil and/or butter instead of Crisco from time to time. You could also make rolls out of this or sticky buns or monkey bread and etc. The list goes on and on! I hope you like the recipe.


Challah (Jewish Celebratory Bread)  ~From Miriam
 
1 T. yeast & 1/2 c. warm water (let sit for about 3 minutes until dissolved)
 
In large bowl mix:
 
4 large eggs
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
2 c. flour
yeast mixture (from above)
 
Gradually add another 2 cups flour and knead with dough hooks for 5 minutes.  Let raise, punch down, and raise again.  Form into round loaves and brush with egg wash (1 egg & 1 T. water whisked together).  Bake 350* for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden.   ~Makes 2 round loaves.
 
Dough may be used for cinnamon rolls also. 
Cinnamon roll mix:  1 c. sugar, 4 t cinnamon, 2 t. cocoa. Mix and sprinkle on dough before rolling up.  Makes 12 rolls.


 

Variations on bread......

When making breads, I often substitute wheat flour for part of the white flour or honey for sugar.  You can also substitute eggs or milk for part of the liquid in your recipes.  If using milk, it is important to scald it first and allow it to cool down a little.   For interest you might like to add a cup of cracked wheat or oats or wheat germ into your bread recipes.  Not only will you add extra flavor, but more nutrition.  Do remember you'll have to adjust the flour when adding these other ingredients.

 

Monkey Bread:  dip small gobs of dough into melted butter and drop into a prepared bunt pan.  With each layer, sprinkle with your favorite herbs (dill, Italian, garlic, parmesan).  Only fill half full and allow to rise to double in size, bake about 25 minutes.

Sticky Buns:  In small bowl combine:  4 T melted butter, 3/4 c. brown sugar, 2 T honey (or corn syrup).  Pour into bottom of  prepared 9x13" pan.  You may add chopped nut to syrup.  Roll out 1 loaf's worth of bread dough into a rectangle.  Butter and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture (may add nuts/raisins).  Cut into rolls and put on top of the "sticky stuff."  Bake 375* for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.

For a pretty bread braid, just divide one loaf's worth dough into 3 pieces.  Roll between the counter and your hand into "snakes" (remember doing this with play dough?).  Simple braid these snakes together, pinch at top and bottom, let rise till double and brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 T. water mixed).  Bake as usual for bread.

 

King Arthur's Flour Bread's section .... Where do I begin?  So many recipes, so little time.


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