Bread Supplies
There’s nothing better than the taste of homemade bread just out of the oven. It tastes delicious, yet many people are intimidated about making it. Try your hand at this delicious bread baking recipe:
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1-1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
Preparation:
- 1. In large bowl, add warm water. Slowly stir in dry yeast. Continue to stir until yeast is dissolved.
- 2. Add sugar, salt, shortening and milk to bowl. Stir or whisk.
- 3. Mix in the first 1 1/2 cups of flour. Then add in another ½ cup of flour.
- 4. If needed, begin adding more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
- 5. You do not need to use up all 3 cups flour called for in this recipe. Or, you may need more flour than called for. The amounts vary depending on many factors, including weather and altitude, which is why most bread recipes only give an approximate amount of flour needed.
- 6. Turn dough out onto floured board and knead, adding small spoonfuls of flour as needed, until the dough is soft and smooth and not sticky to the touch.
- 7. Put dough in buttered bowl, turn dough over so that the top of dough is greased. Cover and let rise in warm spot for 1 hour.
- 8. Punch down dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead.
- 9. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
- 10. Form dough into loaf and set in buttered bread pan. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
- 11. Score dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. Put in oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
- 12. Turn out bread and let cool on a rack or clean dish towel.
Soft Pretzel Bread
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 T warm milk
- 2 1/2 t active dry yeast
- 1/3 c light brown sugar
- 2 T butter, melted
- 4 c flour
- Pretzel salt
- 1/2 c baking soda
Mix warm water (105 – 110 degrees F) in a small bowl with milk, sugar, and melted butter. Mix to dissolve the sugar and then add yeast. Let sit in a warm place until the yeast activates and becomes foamy.
Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the flour, one cup at a time. Mix the mixture after each cup is added. Once the final cup is added, knead the dough until it becomes a pliable ball. If the dough is too sticky add a little flour at a time until it is workable. Move the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for an additional two minutes. Roll the dough out into a log that measures close to 24 inches and cut dough into 12 even pieces. Cover the dough with lightly oiled plastic wrap and a damp cloth.
Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Form individual dough pieces into rolls. Place on a lightly floured surface and cover with the oiled plastic wrap. Let rolls rest for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil and then add the baking soda. Drop the rolls into the boiling water two at a time for no more than 30 seconds, turning once. You can use a slotted spoon to remove the rolls from the water.
Sprinkle with kosher salt and repeat with the remaining rolls. Arrange the rolls on the baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm with whole grain mustard or delicious mustard butter.
