Homemade bread

[zurgswife]

Tried my hand at homemade bread....Lets just say I think I need to try again...LOL

My MIL has a recipe that lots of her dd's make...People love it so I tried my hand...I'm not a great baker of bread...

Besides the fact I set the timer on the oven wrong and had it cooking for longer then it was supposed to....

 

[denisenh]

homemade bread is SO delish. a good hunk of bread dough is soft, pliable and not sticky, like a chubby baby. once you get used to the feel of dough you will know when it is good to bake and then just be sure to bake it according to the instructions. i haven't had a problem with that part.

try making bagels sometime...now thats a boat load of fun~

 

[java]

I have bread baking right now. Yeast is a tricky thing, needs perfectly temped water to work around 80 degrees. Once you get the hang of it it's easy. I make at least 3loaves a week.
Post the recipe please!

 

[Sorsha]

I have a recipe my mom passed on to me... it tastes SO much better than store-bought!!

But it is so cursed much WORK and so hard to get right, I barely ever even try.

 

[zurgswife]

I have bread baking right now. Yeast is a tricky thing, needs perfectly temped water to work around 80 degrees. Once you get the hang of it it's easy. I make at least 3loaves a week.

So the yeast water should be about 80 degrees when I put in the yeast?

 

[dngnb8]

I grew up on homemade bread

 

[jdb in AZ]

My bread machine is my friend.

 

[monkeybug]

I make bread quite often (not too difficult with a kitchen aid and a dough hook) and my recommendation is that you put a portion of the sugar in with the water/milk (that is lukewarm) and yeast mixture. So if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar, measure it out and then take 1Tbs out to mix with the yeast and warm water/milk. Let it sit until it bubbles a little. That way you know your yeast is happy and ready to rise before you go through the rest of the work. If your yeast doesn't get bubbly/foamy then do that part over again with new yeast and recheck your water temp.

 

[java]

So the yeast water should be about 80 degrees when I put in the yeast?

yes

 

[KDIPIAZZ]

I make bread quite often (not too difficult with a kitchen aid and a dough hook) and my recommendation is that you put a portion of the sugar in with the water/milk (that is lukewarm) and yeast mixture. So if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar, measure it out and then take 1Tbs out to mix with the yeast and warm water/milk. Let it sit until it bubbles a little. That way you know your yeast is happy and ready to rise before you go through the rest of the work. If your yeast doesn't get bubbly/foamy then do that part over again with new yeast and recheck your water temp.

This! I always proof my yeast first. It's no fun at all when the bread doesn't rise because the yeast is old - all that work down the drain!

You also need to make sure your house is warm enough that the bread will rise. I have an big, old, drafty house, so my bread either goes in the laundry room with a space heater or in the (not pre-heated!) oven with a bowl of hot water to rise.

Keep practicing - there's not much that's better than warm, homemade bread!

 

[zurgswife]

I make bread quite often (not too difficult with a kitchen aid and a dough hook) and my recommendation is that you put a portion of the sugar in with the water/milk (that is lukewarm) and yeast mixture. So if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of sugar, measure it out and then take 1Tbs out to mix with the yeast and warm water/milk. Let it sit until it bubbles a little. That way you know your yeast is happy and ready to rise before you go through the rest of the work. If your yeast doesn't get bubbly/foamy then do that part over again with new yeast and recheck your water temp.

OK so you put the yeast in the scaled milk before mixing it with the sugar mixer? My recipe called for it after I mixed the milk with the sugar mixture.

PS thanks for the tips. It doesn't taste too bad but just looks fair.

 

[laurie31]

I was always taught the water should be lukewarm - about 105 degrees, but I use the dry yeast, so maybe that makes a difference? I think fresh yeast does need a cooler temp.

I haven't baked bread in awhile, though. I did recently try my hand at Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls and they are to DIE for!! http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/

 

[Maddies Mama]

I use the packets of yeast to make pizza dough and I get perfect pizza dough every time at 105-110 degree water. Not sure if bread would be any different?? I mean it works the same in theory. Regardless, I make 3-ingredient bread and it comes out perfect and amazing every time: 3c self rising flour, 1/3c sugar, 1 12oz can beer. Mix, bake at 350 for 40 minutes and serve warm with butter. OMG I want some right now!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

How about Artisan Bread?

 

[cornflake]

OK so you put the yeast in the scaled milk before mixing it with the sugar mixer? My recipe called for it after I mixed the milk with the sugar mixture.

PS thanks for the tips. It doesn't taste too bad but just looks fair.

As long as you cool the milk some, it's fine.

Yeast, as long as it's alive, is pretty forgiving. Killing it, however, is easy and quick and will make your bread sad.

Whatever you put it in - water, milk - should be warm not hot to the touch. Using liquid that's too hot will kill off your yeast. The liquid can be cooler, just will take longer for the yeast to propogate. Same as you can rise dough in a cool place or even the fridge, just happens in slo mo.

It's one of those things - once you get the hang of it, it's easy and you can play with it.

 

[SandrA9810]

You could also try your hand at a "herman", then you'll have fresh yeast to start off your loaf any time you want to.

I use a bread machine, because it has heating coils to make it just warm enough to rise nicely. Then I bake in the oven.

Try not to over work the bread, that can make it more tough and flat.

 

[Creativebeth]

Bread maker recipe: Best bread EVER

English muffin bread
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup dry milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp gluten
1 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

set for 3 hours/light setting

 

[Phil Cirrone]

You guys are so amazing. I think I'm going to try it again. Thanks for all the tips.

Lisa

 

[manning]

I have bread baking right now. Yeast is a tricky thing, needs perfectly temped water to work around 80 degrees. Once you get the hang of it it's easy. I make at least 3loaves a week.
Post the recipe please!

My very first loaf of bread came out perfect. Perfect paper weights that is. Got the water too hot.

I'm going to try it with Spelt flour. It's an ancient grain that has been around thousands of years. It has a nuttier flavor, is a complex carb that tends to not spike sugar as much and has more nutritional values than whole wheat. I understand it was widely used until the 1920s when hybrid wheat took over due to it being easier to harvest and mill.