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JulieL
05-10-2006, 08:29 AM
Does anyone have idiot proof recipes for good bread? I want to learn how to make bread but am pretty scared of trying - but want to take a wack at it. Recipes can have yeast in it, just tell me what to do with it!

nathansmom
05-10-2006, 08:52 AM
I think its quite easy to make.

Multigrain Bread-
makes 2 9 by 5 inch loaves

1 1/4 cups 7 grain (you can use 8 grain too) hot cereal mix NOTE: don't confuse this with breakfast cereal. Bob's Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills are two easy to find brands of this cereal mix.

2 1/2 cup boiling water

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting surface

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tablespoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted pumpkin or sunflower seeds (you don't have to add these, I've made the bread with and without and its fine either way)

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats

Step 1:
Place cereal mix in a bowl of standing mixer and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools to 100 degrees and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour. Whisk flours in medium bowl.

Step 2:
Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast and stir to combine. Attach bowl to standing mixer fitted with dough hook. With mixer running on low speed, add flours 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough ball forms, 1 to 2 minutes; cover bowl with plastic and let dough rest 20 minutes. Add salt and knead on medium low speed until dough clears side of bowl, 3 to 4 minutes (if it does not clear sides, add 2 to 3 tablespoons additional flour and continue mixing); continue to knead for 5 more minutes. Add seeds and knead another 15 seconds. Transfer dough to floured work surface and knead by hand until seeds are evenly dispersed and dough forms smooth taunt ball. Place dough into greased container with a 4 quart capacity; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled, 45 to 60 minutes.

Step 3:
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 9 by 5 inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat into 12 by 9 rectangle; cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper. Shape loaves and roll loaves in oats to coat and place in pans. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size 30-40 minutes. Dough should barely spring back when poked with knuckle. Bake until internal temperature registers 200 degrees on instant read thermometer, 35-40 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.
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JulieL
05-16-2006, 10:19 AM
Thanks! I'll have to try that!

brittone2
05-16-2006, 04:09 PM
Buy Laurel's Bread Book. It is the best resource IMO.

I don't get much time to bake but that book teaches you all of the tricks to really really understanding baking bread (like having your own personal grandmother teaching you or something LOL).

I have only messed around a handful of times with that book, but I learned SOOO much from her tips, especially about proper kneading, not adding too much flour, etc. It let me make a really really tasty whole grain bread that wasn't heavy and brick like as it often turns out.

If you are thinking about doing it on a regular basis, I totally think you'd find this really worthwhile.

nathansmom
05-16-2006, 08:04 PM
I like that book. I bake our bread nowdays. I do really like the recipe that I posted above. I basically make that every 4 days and try other recipes when I find the time.

octmom
05-17-2006, 06:23 PM
TRIPLETS??? Did I miss a thread about how many you are expecting? Triple congratulations!!! :)

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03
DD, Katie 3/06

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

alleyoop
05-26-2006, 12:31 PM
Norah,

I made your bread yesterday! It tastes great and is super moist (really wonderful!), but I have a couple of questions for you. The first part of the recipe went according to plan perfectly, but when I divided the dough and put it into the loaf pans after about 40mins it still hadn't doubled. I waited over an hour, but it seemed to stall out with the dough only just reaching the height of the pan. Was it supposed to have risen more than that?

I am a newbie with bread, so I still don't know the exact consistency I am looking for while kneading. Could it have been too much or not enough flour? What do you think?

Secondly, how do you store the bread? I put the first loaf in a ziplock on top of the fridge with the rest of my store bought bread and the second in a ziplock in the fridge until the first is done. Is that what you do?

Thanks in advance for your adviceand thanks for the recipe!