The Staff of Life

I find immense satisfaction in creating something from a mass of formless ingredients. Whether it be a sentence, a table or a loaf of bread, carefully putting the parts together, forming something that exists only due to your effort, is a true ego boost. Without getting overly philosophical, making homemade bread is a way to slow down and enjoy a little simplicity.

I've been making homemade bread for about three years now, during that time I've figured out a few things:

  1. Strong white flour (also known as bread flour), which is made from harder wheats, makes a heartier more flavorful loaf than general purpose plain white flour.
  2. Allowing the dough to rise, pounding it back and then allowing it to rise again will make the bread lighter and more airy.
  3. Modern active dry yeast is reliable enough to simply add as a dry ingredient (i.e. you don’t need to add it to water beforehand as many recipes state).
  4. The addition of fats such as shortening and butter makes for a richer, moister loaf.
  5. The addition of a little honey creates a subtle sweetness.

 

Basic Homemade Bread

1 ½ lb strong white flour (substitute a little stone ground whole wheat flour for a heartier taste and texture)

2 tsp salt

1 oz margarine or vegetable shortening

1 packet fast action yeast

1 ¾ cups warm water

 

  1. Mix the flour and salt, then cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or knife. The mixture should resemble coarse ground flour or corn meal.

  2. Mix in the yeast and water with a spoon making a moist dough.

  3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Knead in flour, a little at a time, adding just enough to keep the dough from sticking. Be careful not to add too much flour as this will make the dough tough and heavy. Kneading alone will decrease much of the stickiness.

  4. When the dough is smooth and elastic place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and set it in a warm place to rise. Wait for the dough to double in size, this should take 1 ½ to 2 hours.

  5. Knead the dough a second time, knocking out all of the air than shape and place in a greased and floured 2 lb bread tin (you could also use two 1 lb tins).

  6. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until doubled in size. This should take less than an hour. Remember that the dough will rise significantly in the oven so the uncooked loaf is smaller than the final product.

  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 425o F for 25 to 30 minutes. After fifteen minutes remove the loaf from the tin and continue baking. Bread is fully cooked when it sounds hollow when rapped with the knuckles.

 

Aunt Donaldine’s Good Bread

Pure and simple, this is the most delicious bread I have ever had. Be careful this recipe makes four loaves.

2 packages dry yeast

4 ½ cups warm water

¾ cup honey (divided into a ¼ cup portion and a ½ cup portion)

4 tsp salt

8 cups flour (plus up to 4 more to be added during final kneading)

½ cup melted butter

  1. Combine yeast 3 ½ cups of water and ¼ cup honey in a large bowl, cover and let stand until yeast puffs (approx. 10 min.)
  2. Add salt, 4 cups of the flour and ½ cup honey, beat until stringy. Cover and let rise until doubled (40 t0 50 min.)
  3. Stir in remaining water (1 cup), melted butter and 4 cups of flour and stir until stiff.
  4. Add flour as necessary until dough can be kneaded.
  5. Knead until dough is smooth and even adding up to 4 more cups flour.
  6. Separate into 4 loaves and bake at 350o F until golden and the loaves sound hollow when tapped (about 25 min.)