I mentioned a while ago that I've got a bit of free time, and have been trying things in the kitchen. Bread seems to be the constant thing for me. I make a lot, and don't buy from the store any more. In addition to the two loaves I mentioned previously, I bake a third that is ridiculously easy. Here's my recipe.
The Ingredients- 2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1-1/4 c luke-warm water
- 3 c flour, plus additional flour for dusting and kneading
- 1-1/2 tsp kosher salt (or 1-1/4 tsp table salt)
- 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 2 1tsp pats of butter
The Hardware
- 1 or 2 large bowls
- 1 tea towel
- large-ish wooden or plastic spoon
- 1 bread pan
- a nice flat surface for kneading
- a wire cooling rack
The Method
Add the active dry yeast, sugar and water to a large bowl, stir to dissolve the yeast and sugar, then let sit for 5 minutes. Then add 3 c flour and the salt, and stir to combine. Once everything comes together, dust your hands and work surface with flour, dump the dough onto the dusted surface, and knead for 2-3 minutes. Dust additional flour on your hands or work surface if the dough sticks. After kneading, form the dough into a ball. Spread the oil thinly around the inside of a large bowl (or wash your original bowl in really hot water and dry thoroughly, the heat will help with the bread rising), removing excess with a napkin or paper towel. Put the dough ball in the oiled bowl, roll the ball around a few times to coat, then cover the bowl with the tea towel and park in a warm place for an hour. After the hour has passed, uncover the dough, punch it down a little, then cover and place back in a warm spot for another 30 minutes.
Now, use 1 tbsp butter to grease the inside of your bread pan. Dust your hands and work surface once again, and dump out the now-risen dough. Using your hands, stretch the dough into roughly a rectangle as wide as your pan, and 1-1/2 times as long, trying to keep the thickness of the dough as even as you can. Starting with the near end, roll the dough into a log, crimp both ends, then put the dough log into the bread pan. Cover and place in a warm spot for another 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your oven rack about in the middle of your oven. Bake your loaf for 40 minutes. After you pull out your loaf, immediately take the bread out of the pan and place on a cooling rack. Spread the remaning 1 tbsp butter over your piping hot loaf and allow to cool.
Notes
I never said it’d be quick, but it really isn’t hard. The hard part is resisting the temptation to immediately cut your bread. The interior needs time to set, so be patient. It’d be best to give it an hour before cutting, but you might be able to get away with 45 minutes. Whatever you do, make sure your loaf is completely cool before storing, especially if you’re storing in a plastic bag.
Remember that fresh bread will not keep as long as store-bought bread, since you’re not adding a bunch of preservatives. It usually doesn’t last more than a day or two around here, anyway. Oh, and if you’re not a fan of eating the bread heels, pop them into a plastic bag and freeze them. Then when you come across a recipe that calls for bread crumbs, grab them and run them through your food processor. You’ll never need to bread crumbs from the store again.
Oh, and the best thing to put on the bread is your own homemade butter. Yum....
