Monday, January 11, 2010

Baking Bread


I love the smell of fresh baked bread! I am working on getting more whole wheat back into our food. The other day I ground up some white wheat and put it into the freezer, I don't grind a lot at a time so it stays fresher and keeps more of its nutrients in it. Slowly adding a little at a time in my backed goods. Here is the bread recipe that I have been using for a while now.

Bread

1cup + 3 Tbsp. water 80 F
2 cups bread flour
1 - 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 - 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 - 1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. dry yeast

1. Add liquid ingredients to pan. (sometimes I have to add a teaspoon or so more water)
2. Add dry ingredients to the liquids.
3. Mix ingredients together, then put dough on a lightly floured service and knead for 10 minutes. ( you put the ingredients in a bread machine on the dough setting or use your kitchen aid mixer)
4. Let rise until double, then punch down and let rise again until doubled.
5. After the second rise punch down and shape into loaf and put in bread pan, let rise.
6. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.
7. Take loaf out of pan and cool on rack, I brush a little Crisco or butter over the top at this time.
Makes a 1 - 1/2 pound loaf.

Have found that I get a lighter bread by letting it rise twice before putting it into a loaf.

1 comment:

Sandra said...

I let mine rise twice too. It's been so cold the past two weeks that it has taken it a bit longer to do so though!