Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Homemade Bread

When it turns cold out, I like to use the oven. I tend to make a lot of soups during the winter and nothing accompanies soup better than warm bread. I have never made homemade bread before, but I found this recipe online for a bread that uses rice or soy milk rather than cow's milk, which makes this bread vegan. The reviews for this recipe were good, it seems relatively easy and honestly, there is nothing like bread right out of the oven...

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe (vegan)
The bread comes out crispy on the outside and soft, slightly sweet, and both fluffy & firm on the inside. Yum.
Ingredients (Yields one loaf)2.5 teaspoons yeast1 tsp sugar1.25 tsp salt1 cup warmish water (not burning hot, but warm)1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup1/4 cup oil (I use olive, but probably other veggie oil will work)1/4 soy or rice milk3.5 cups flour (whole wheat and regular white mixed) --I recommend 2.5 cups whole and 1 cup white
Directions1. Mix first four ingredients in a big bowl. The yeast will start to come alive (bubble and get all excited and stinky).2. Let that sit for a few minutes (or 10).3. Dump the remaining ingredients into the yeast mixture.4. Stir with a wooden spoon until it gets all weird and tacky.5. Then roll up your sleeves and start working it with your hands.6. Time for Bread Knead #1. Dump the dough out on an oiled clean counter. Knead the dough for 7 minutes or until it is smooth and supple like a butt.7. Time for Rising Session #1. Dump the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth and put into a "slightly" warmed oven for 1 hour or until dough is fluffed.8. Time for Bread Knead #2. Put the dough back on the counter. Only Knead it once or twice. Then shape the dough into the size of your bread pan. And plop it into the oiled pan.9. Time for Rising Session #2. Put the bread pan (with dough) back into the warmish oven. Let it rise for another 30 mins. to 1 hour (or until it dough rises above the edges of the pan).
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (make sure bread isn't in the oven yet!).11. Bake for 40- to 1 hour (or until bread is lightly browned). "Experts" say if you hit the back of the bread and it sounds hollow, it's ready. BUT THE BREAD IS TOO HOT!! DO NOT ATTEMPT! No way you can test the bread by slapping it on the back. You just have to "know" when it is done.12. Let it cool! I know it smells good and bready...but it'll be weird and crumbly unless you let it cool for about a half hour. To slice: always turn the bread on its side and then go at it with a serrated knife.It may take a time or two until you get the dough just right, i.e., not undercooked. ENJOY!