Bread Hello Amy

[Guest guest]

Being a newish one here I wasn't aware you baked bread.

When you are free could you post a recipe for the easiest

bread recipe you have. I've always wanted to bake bread and never had any

idea where to start? Many thanks, Kenia

 

 

 

 

Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in hardcover

Photo Books. You design it and we’ll bind it!

 

 

[Guest guest]

> Being a newish one here I wasn't aware you baked bread.

> When you are free could you post a recipe for the easiest

> bread recipe you have. I've always wanted to bake bread and never

> had any idea where to start? Many thanks, Kenia

 

 

Hi, Kenia!! There are many very basic bread recipes out there. Are

you interested in white bread or whole grain bread, or something

crusty? Let me know and I (among others here who bake bread) will jump

in! :-)

[Guest guest]

I like all bread. Any recipe you think is good for a beginner.

Thanks Amy!

Kenia

 

, " Amy " <sandpiperhiker>

wrote:

>

 

>

> Hi, Kenia!! There are many very basic bread recipes out there. Are

> you interested in white bread or whole grain bread, or something

> crusty? Let me know and I (among others here who bake bread) will

jump

> in! :-)

>

[Guest guest]

, " mistressofthedishes "

<mistressofthedishes> wrote:

>

>

> I like all bread. Any recipe you think is good for a beginner.

> Thanks Amy!

 

This one is delicious and easy, and beautiful to look at too. I

usually use a little less oil, and a little less salt (try half of each).

 

Sweet Pepper Bread (Pane ai Peperoni) from " The Italian Baker " by

Carol Field, with my notes mixed in

 

makes 2 loaves

 

1 large sweet red pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/4 c warm water (about 110* seems to work well; over 115 or so will

kill the yeast, too cold and it will be very slow to rise)

3 3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

 

Broil the pepper until blackened all over (see Donna's techniques in

the files, too). Cut into wide strips; remove the seeds and the pull

off the blackened skin. Roughly chop the pepper and saute in the oil

for a few minutes (do not brown).

 

Stir the yeast into the water in a large mixing bowl; let stand until

creamy, about ten minutes (this is called proofing the yeast - it

proves the yeast is stil alive - if you get no bubbles, don't bother

until you get fresh yeast). Stir in the pepper with the oil. Mixthe

flour and salt and and stir 1 cup at a time into the yeast mixture.

When the dough has roughly come together, knead** on a lightly floured

surface until soft and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

 

First Rise: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, flip over to coat to

with a thin film, and cover with plastic wrap (I use a 6-qt rubbermaid

food container with a lid). Let rise until doubled, about an hour.

(My rubbermaid thing has volume marks on the side, so it's easy to see

when it's doubled. Also, doubling time will vary depending on how

warm or cool your kitchen is.)

 

Shaping and second rise: Punch the dough down on a floured surface

and knead it briefly. Cut the dough in half. Shape each half into a

long round log, then curve one end so it looks like a J. Place the

loaves on an oiled baking sheet, cover with a clean towel (or I spray

the top of the loaves with oil and setplastci wrap _loosely_ over) and

let rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour) (When rolling into a

log, try to make the surface of the log have some tension on it; roll

with some good pressure.)

 

Baking: About 20 minutes before you think the last rise will finish,

preheat the oven to 450*F. (If you have a baking stone, put it in

beofre you heat the oven, and sprinkle it with cornmeal just before

you put the loaves on it.) Place the loaves in the oven and reduce

the heat to 400*F. Bake for about 35 minutes. The crust is best if

you have a clean spray bottle with water - spray the surface of the

bread a couple of times during the first 10 minutes of baking.

 

Cool completely on a wire rack.

 

**The kneading motion varies with people, but what I use:

Look at the ball of dough in front of you (on a floured surface of

course). Grab the top part of the dough (the bit on the far side of

the counter, and pull it up over the bottom part (the bit nearest

you). Push down on this pile of dough, fairly hard. Rotate the dough

one quarter turn and repeat. You do this until the dough is evenly

textured, doesn't have too many splits in the outer " skin " , and is

soft but not a blob. The kneading times in recipes are guidelines

more than rules - if you just punch at it randomly it will take much

longer!

 

 

 

(easiest if your counter is lower than average, or step up on

something if you have a tougher dough like whole wheat).