1. Make jam/jelly
2. Can (veggies, fruit, jam, etc)
3. Make homemade yeast bread...without a breadmaker
And I was happy to report that, by the end of 2010, I was able to attempt all three. I will actually talk about the first two in a future post, later this summer when berries come into season and I can make more jelly. But for now, we will be learning how to bake bread!
First of all, BREATH.
It seems really, really daunting and totally unnecessary because it is super easy to go to the grocery store and buy a loaf for $.99. But...I promise you, homemade is so much better :-)
Why is it better?
For one, it is healthier. Since you are the one making this bread, YOU will know exactly what is in it. There will be no unpronounceable ingredients and everything will be fresh and good for you. Also, it saves money. Chances are, you will have all the necessary ingredients in your pantry, so it might save you money. Lastly, it will be really, really fresh. When it first comes out of the oven, you will want to rip off a hunk and eat it right then and there. I will warn you though...you might not want to do that. Bread needs time to cool, otherwise it will squish down when you try to cut it. But after it is cool, go ahead and take a bite.
When I first decided to attempt bread, I began researching tips and techniques. I read the bread section in my mom's old Betty Crocker cookbook and googled "how-to" guides. Ultimately, I came across a really awesome blog called www.thefrugalgirl.com that is all about frugal living and has really nice recipes and instructions for a variety of recipes. Better than that, it has good bread recipes with...PICTURES!
My favorite recipe from this site is the "Easy French Bread". As stated in the name, it is actually very easy and mostly full-proof. I have never actually had it fail on me and I have made this recipe more than a dozen times in the last few months. Of all the different yeast bread recipes I have made, this one is my favorite.
This is the finished product. Read this rest of this post and I will show you how to get here.
Since this bread it a yeast recipe, it will take a few hours to get to the end result.
The Science of Yeast: According to www.breadworld.com, yeast is a leavening agent attacks the starches in the flour, turning them into carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide expands the gluten proteins in the flour. These proteins cause the dough to expand and rise.
For the purpose of this recipe, you will need 1 packet of yeast. There are several brands of yeast, so just pick one and make sure it is Active Dry Yeast. (see picture below)
Yeast needs to be re-activated when baking, so you will need warm water. The recipe says to warm the water to 120 degrees. I would suggest using a kitchen thermometer to ensure that it is too cool (the yeast won't work) or not too hot (it will kill the yeast). I usually run the faucet for a few minutes while I am gathering the other ingredients (which unfortunately, I do not have a picture of). Anyway, you will need All-Purpose Flour, table salt, sugar, in addition to the water.
First of all, put 2-cups flour into your bowl. Add 1-packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast. Then put 1-teaspoon salt and 1-tablespoon sugar.
(Picture courtesy of www.thefrugalgirl.com)
Next, measure out 1-cup WARM water (remember the faucet should still be running). Use the thermometer to make sure it is between 110-120 degrees F. Add the warm water to the bowl. Using a spoon, mix the dough until it is all combined. It will become very hard to mix as the yeast is activated, but it is important to continue mixing for 2-3 minutes. Add another 1/2-cup flour until the dough is soft and kneadable.
Clear a space on your counter or table and flour it generously. Dump out the dough and add some flour on top of it.
(picture courtesy of www.thefrugalgirl.com)
The next step is VERY important. Remember our little science lesson a few minutes ago? How yeast forms carbon dioxide, which attacks the GLUTEN in the flour? The gluten is what will make your bread rise and be soft and squishy. Kneading is what stretches the gluten. The back and forth motion of kneading pulls and stretches at the gluten proteins and makes them expand. But don't get me wrong, kneading is not that difficult...it just takes a little practice.
First of all, fold the dough in half toward you. Then, using the base of your palm, PUSH the dough away from your body. This motion is what stretches the dough. You will then want to turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat the motion. I promise you, it is a lot easier to do. http://www.jansdough.com/Sourdough_Bread/kneadbreaddough.htm has very nice directions...with pictures!
I will tell you that PICTURES make all the difference in successfully making sooo many recipes :-)
Okay, you will have to knead for 6-8 minutes. Kneading is a really theraputic motion that allows for a lot of time to think. I always say that if you are mad at something or someone, kneading bread is a great way to get that anger out. If you are making this recipe using a standing mixer, you will only have to knead for for 3-5 minutes because the mixer works the dough a little more than you can with the spoon.
Once you have finished the kneading, you should be able to test the dough by making an indentation with two fingers. If the dough springs back after a minute or two, it is ready to be set to rise.
Yeast bread must rise so that the yeast has time to activate. Get a bowl that is at least 2x the size of your ball of dough. Using either spray PAM or olive oil, grease the bowl before placing the dough ball inside.
Cover the bowl with a damp tea-towel and set to rise in a warm place (such as on the top of your stove.) This will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Once is looks like this:
You are ready to move forward. Your dough should have doubled in size. Make an indentation in the dough with two fingers that should NOT spring back.
Next, punch the dough down to let out that carbon dixide
Next, turn the dough out onto the counter and stretch out into a rectangular shape that is about half an inch thick.
(photo courtesy www.thefrugalgirl.com)
Once it is doubled, mix 1 egg white and a teaspoon of water. Using a sharp knife, make three or four scores on the top of the dough. Brush this egg-water mixture on top of your loaf.
Bake 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before you cut into it :-)
photo courtesy of www.thefrugalgirl.com
This recipe will make 1 loaf, but it is really easy to double or even triple it for a larger number of loaves.
Here is the recipe:
Easy French Bread
2 1/4-2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pkg(2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water(120 degrees F)
I hope that you will try this recipe because it is soo easy and it is really rewarding to be able to say that you made the bread, as opposed to purchasing it at the grocery store. Once you master this recipe, I think that you will be wanting to try others.
Lastly, enjoy the fruits of your labor and the tasty results of just a few hours of your time.
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