Does No One Make Bread Anymore?

[pt_tangles]

Without a bread machine? Mine finally bit the dust this summer, and I have yet to replace it. Today I want to make some nice fresh bread, but I'll be damned if I can find a recipe that doesn't use a bread machine. Does anyone have any favorites that they would like to share?

--Phae

ps - will prolly cross post to a couple cooking comms

Comments

[matrinka69.livejournal.com]

Traditional White Bread

6-7 cups flour
3 Tbls sugar
1 Tbls salt
2 Tbls shortening (fat of any kind works just fine, I've found.)
2 pkgs yeast (regular or quick acting)
2.25 cups very warm water (120F or so)

I do this in the stand mixer with the dough hooks. You can also work this totally by hand, though it takes some effort to stir it all up then.

Mix about half of the flour with the sugar, salt, fat and yeast in a large bowl. Add the water and beat on low for a minute, scraping the sides frequently. Turn up the speed to medium for another minute and beat. Now, start adding the rest of the flour about 1/2 cup at a time until it forms an easy to handle dough.

Turn out onto a well floured board and knead for about 10 minuts, until smooth and elastic. Place into an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with a warm, damp towel and place in a warm spot out of drafts for an our or until doubled. Punch down and divide in half. Shape into two loaves and place in loaf pans, seam side down. Cover and let rise again until doubled.

If you like, you can freeze the dough at this point.

Bake in a 425F oven for 25-30 minutes, until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Brush with melted butter and cool on a rack.

[matrinka69.livejournal.com]

Variations to the Traditional White Bread recipe:

Pesto Bread: When you are shaping the loaves, spread pesto onto the flattened dough, roll up and then bake. (Pesto recipe is simply olive oil, fresh basil and garlic. Puree until it is a nice, smooth, dark green paste)

Wheat Bread: Replace up to 4 cups of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

You can also mix herbs into the dry ingreadients before adding the water.

For cinnamon rolls, roll out the dough, spread with 1/2 cup melted butter, sprinkle heavily with cinnamon and brown sugar. Roll up tightly and slice off rolls. Lay them in a pan cut side up and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Spread with icing (I like cream cheese icing made of 1lb cream cheese beaten with 1/2 cup sugar and just enough milk to make it easy to spread). You could, I guess, put nuts in there, too, if you like. Pecans would be a good choice.

[pt_tangles]

I used to make sticky buns with my mom when I was a kid. Same basic recipe, isn't it? Except with the sugary/caramel/stuff and nuts on the bottom.

Thank you so much. That bread sounds wonderful.

--Phae

[matrinka69.livejournal.com]

Pretty much that's the same thing. Leave out the cinnamon, put nuts in the bottom of the pan, sticky buns.

It is a great, simple bread recipe that never fails.