Homemade bread is a challenge even for more experienced cooks. It’s a complicated technique and there are many things that can go wrong. Below is a basic recipe for homemade bread, with five key ingredients. Step-by-step instructions will clarify most questions about bread making at home.
Basic recipe for bread
Ingredients:
15 grams of dried yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar or 1 teaspoon honey or glucose
(The sweetener helps the yeast to start)
2 cups lukewarm water (about 35˚C or to withstand the little finger of your hand for one minute)
About 800 grams bread flour (or hard flour or high gluten flour)
1 tablespoon salt
A little extra flour, for dusting when kneading
Method:
1. Stir the sweetener with the warm water until dissolved
2. Add the yeast and stir again until dissolved
3. Mix the salt with most of the flour – leaving aside 150 to 200 grams or so
4. In large bowl or mixer, stir the water with half of the salted flour
5. Stir well until the air is trapped between the mixture. This step will assist in the final baking of the bread.
6. Add the rest of the salted flour and stir again until all the flour is incorporated
7. At this point, pour or flip the dough, if you are working by hand
8. Add gradually, as the remaining flour is necessary to form uniform, soft dough that does not stick. It should be moist but not tight.
9. Knead by hand or with the dough hook of the mixer until the dough is very fluffy and elastic
First rest
1. Form a ball with the dough and place it in an oiled bowl
2. Turn the dough in the bowl to lubricate all sides and place it with the smooth side facing up
3. Cover the bowl with cling film (so as not to dry out the dough on top as it will not crust) and let it rest covered in a warm place until it doubles in volume
4. When you push the dough with your finger and the dough does not return to its original shape, the rise is complete
5. How long it will take depends on the room temperature, the temperature of the dough, the external barometric pressure – there are many factors that influence it
6. Empirically, it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. At this stage you can leave the dough to rise either on the bench or in any free surface
7. The top of the fridge is a good idea, as the temperature is somewhat warmer here
8. This step should be precise, as it will make for better bread. If you have time, a larger space at a lower temperature is ideal, for example 3 hours at 20˚C.
Size of bread
1. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, turn the dough and press to take all the air out of the dough
2. Now, you must decide if you want to make one large or two small loaves or smaller buns
3. Divide the dough as desired or leave in one large piece, to form bread later
4. Put aside again and cover each piece with a clean linen towel (not fluffy) or with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a few minutes
Give shape to your bread
1. Now, make each piece of dough into the shape you want (oblong or round bread) and place in appropriate container
2. If you want a round loaf, make dough balls
3. Perhaps you have seen on TV how to knead bread?
4. So, before you make the dough ball, on the table – with your hands flat on the table – touch the dough right and left
5. Without lifting your hands, start pressing the dough firmly into a circle, twisting
6. You can do it fast or slow. The end result will be the same although with practice you will improve your speed. The friction of the lower part of the dough with the surface of the table will make the dough smooth and tight.
7. This will help swelling and produce the beautiful appearance of the loaf. If your dough does not seem to move on the table, you can drip some water on the table – just to dampen, but not too wet. Place onto a plate.
8. If you want an oblong loaf – bread mould, press your dough and stretch the sides of a rough rectangle whose length is equal to the length of the pan. Give the dough a cylinder shape and place in pan. Cover the dough.
Final rising
Once you place the dough in the pan you will cook it in, cover with a towel or cling film and let it double in size again. Since yeast is activated inside the dough during this time, it will take half of the previous time.
Preheat your oven during the final proofing at 180 degrees Celsius.
Baking
1. When ready to bake, you may want to prepare two or three oblique cross lines on top of the dough with a sharp knife – not too deep.
2. This will add to the appearance of bread, but rather to enhance the baking (the first few minutes of baking, before the crust is formed) this will prevent the crust from stretching and tearing inside the oven
3. The bread is baked when it acquires a beautiful golden colour and a hollow sound is heard by tapping the bottom of the pan. The internal temperature should reach 95 to 100˚C.
4. For this to happen, smaller buns will take 10 to 15 minutes, while a large loaf over half an hour.
5. When you can smell the bread, start checking the above.
6. When the bread is out of the oven, let it cool on a rack and don’t allow it to get damp, otherwise it will spoil.
7. When cooled to room temperature, wrap it in paper and store in a cloth bag at room temperature.
8. As your bread contains no preservative it should be consumed within the first 2-3 days.
9. If you know you will eat in one – two days, cut into slices after it has cooled down and store in the refrigerator, especially in nylon bags.
10. You can take a couple of slices at a time to make a beautiful, fresh sandwich.