Homemade Bread

The kids almost always help me bake the bread on Wednesdays. After many fits and starts, I have found that--for me anyway--the key to keeping us eating homemade bread is to bake it on the same day each week (instead of trying to do it "when I have time"). I enjoy making bread for better nutrition and for cost savings (as we would probably buy three loaves of bread per week, at about $12, or $48 per month!).

I combine several bread recipes and think I have something working well now. One aspect I enjoy about bread is the mystery of it all. Why does a recipe fail sometimes? For a few weeks in a row, my bread didn't rise at all--and I think it was because the summer humidity was too high. These are interesting things for me to figure out.


Below is the recipe I am using these days: it makes six small loaves, which lasts our family about one week. I freeze them on baking day and take out a new loaf each day.

"Measure the liquids, not the flour."

4 cups very warm liquid (water or whole milk--milk makes the bread richer)
1-1/4 tbsp yeast
1/4 cup honey

Whisk this mixture and allow to sit about 10 minutes until foamy.

Pour into my stand mixer.

Add a lot of flour (I use white-wheat)--unmeasured. I'm judging the consistency.

Once flour is being worked in, then I add 1 tbsp salt. Do not add salt earlier because salt kills yeast.

Optional additives that I use:

Flax seed (golden, so it's not visible: a couple of scoops)
Wheat gluten (several tbsp: makes bread more easily sliced)
Nutritional yeast (several tbsp)
Lecithin (several tbsp: an emulsifier that makes the bread soft like store bought)
Butter (up to a stick of butter: makes the bread richer)

I mix in my stand mixer until the dough grabs together and looks right, adding more flour until that time. I turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly just to form a ball. Let rise for one hour in an oiled bowl, covered with a damp flour sack. Then divided dough into however many loaves you want, and let rise for 30 more minutes. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. Thump baked bread and listen for hollow sound.

 

Does it get much better than fresh hot bread with butter?

Today I moved these darling glass plates--etched with flowers--from my china cabinet in the formal dining room to the kitchen cupboard. I inherited several collections of lovely glass dishes from my great-grandmother and they have mostly stayed locked in my china cabinet, from where I shoo away the children, who like to open the drawers and admire them. Why aren't I using these dishes more often? They give me pleasure! What is the use of storing them if I don't enjoy them? So, I've moved them into the kitchen in hopes that we use them more often and the children can enjoy their beauty without me chasing after them.