Our Daily Bread

Because I had spare time today because I'm dreadfully sick with a cold I care for all you dear fellow bloggers, I thought I'd publish the long-awaited, highly anticipated, wildly popular bread recipe and instructions.  Any way you slice it, bread is good.  The recipe I am showing you is one I simply concocted from several recipes.  I have no recipe except that which is in my brain.  I truly measure only a few of the ingredients and "just dump" the other when it looks right.

Bread can be a fickle thing.  So much depends on variables such as humidity of the day, the temperature of the room, or even the temperature of the liquid that is making the yeast do its thing.  But any recipe you use, any way you put it together, any way you slice it, it is good.  And it really is a simple process.  And I'll prove it to you.

You need about three hours of time at home from start to finish.  I recently purchased this wonderful machine.  It is a wheat grinder.  It sounds like a quiet jet taking off.  But it is worth its weight in gold.  We have a friend that grows wheat, free of pesticides and other icky things you don't want to eat.  I have about 50 lbs of hard red spring wheat waiting to be turned into flour.  And that we will.

I grind roughly the only flour I will need for the day.  I have read that the nutrition of fresh-ground is much higher than flour that sits around.  That's why I'm so sick with the cold right now.  (that was a joke).

After the flour is ground, we move over to the other piece of equipment I purchased a year ago and have grown extremely fond of.  It is my Bosch mixer.

This appliance, although expensive has probably paid for itself already.  It is running nearly twice a week here.  Put 3 tablespoons of yeast in the bowl.  It can be any form that you choose.  Some swear by SAF yeast.  Others just Red Star or other grocery store variety.  Since I've gone more "granola" and am grinding my own wheat, I've been using SAF.  It seems to have a better reputation for guaranteed results.  Add 1/2 cup very warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and approximately 1/2 cup flour.  Mix just a bit and let sit for five minutes or until you remember you started making bread.

I've recently started using this dough enhancer since I'm using more whole grains in the bread.  If you are using at least half white bread flour, it is unnecessary.  I'm having dandy results using it.  I think it can be found at many grocery or health stores.

I microwave my milk for three minutes at high power to get to the proper temperature.

 After the mixture has 'proofed', add 4 cups milk, 1 stick butter, 2 tablespoons oil, 2/3 cup brown sugar or honey, 2 eggs, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of salt, and extra "stuff" if you want.  I almost always add a handful of flax seed, ground flax, and cracked wheat.  Add whole wheat and regular flour.  I don't have any measurements because I go by sight, not by amount.  But you can expect to add roughly 10 cups of flour.

After all the ingredients are added, let knead in the bowl for about five minutes adding flour as you need to.  I usually let it stay a bit sticky.  Some Bosch people think the bowl must be completely clean, but I tend to think if I add that much flour, my bread would be drier.  If you are kneading by hand, do it for about 7 minutes.  When the kneading process is complete, I usually take it out and knead it by hand just a few times to make sure it 'feels right'.  Place in a bowl to rise covered with a towel.  Set the timer for an hour.  Now it is time to go take a nap.  Walk the dog.  Look at Facebook and feel frustrated with the changes.  Or better yet, call a friend that is lonely.

Pans.  I use an assortment.  I have two larger-sized ones and three smaller.  Do not every wash them with soap unless you are making meatloaf or banana bread or something other than yeast breads.  I like mine seasoned.  Spray them lightly with cooking spray or grease with shortening.

After the dough has risen an hour, take out and start shaping into loaves.

 

 I took this picture to prove that my floor gets a bit dirty when I'm baking!

 I have this handy silver scraper/cutter thing for bread.  It works great splitting apart the dough.  It also works dandy by scraping off the yucky doughy stuff left on the counter when you are done.

 Place loaves in pan.  Cover again with towels.  Let rise approximately 45 minutes until they are just starting to peek over the top edge of the pan.

Set oven for 350 degrees.  When it reaches proper temperature.  Place loaves in oven.  Bake for 24 minutes for small loaves and about 26 minutes for large.  Someone very special told me recently how to test the doneness.  I promise, it works.  Lick your finger and touch the bottom of the hot pan.  If it sizzles, the bread is done.  If it doesn't sizzle, give it another minute or so.  Don't burn yourself!  And don't spit on the bread!

And...!  Here is the finished product.