Most of us buy bread at the store, but the smell of fresh baked bread in your home has not lost its magic! It says someone did something special for the people they love and someone took the time to show they care. Start a conversation with a stranger or friend and state that you bake homemade bread, in most cases you will get their attention with a raise of their eyebrow and they will have a memory of someone in their family who baked homemade bread.
Baking homemade bread has become a tradition for me, starting with my late Father-in-Law, although methods and means have changed over time. I get great personal satisfaction and positive feedback from the people I gift it to. The amazement of the mixing and baking simple ingredients into bread is rewarding and continues to challenge me. It is also an art and passion that I hope to pass on to generations to come.
When I asked my granddaughter on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate my bread? She responded “I rate it 100!!”.
An older acquaintance and bread receiver says, “No wonder you have so many bread friends”.
“Tastes like the bread my grandmother used to bake, good stuff”.
This recipe will make 2 eight inch loaves of white Italian bread.
Ingredients
- 7-9 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon of Active Dry Yeast
- 3 cups Purified Drinking Water
- 1 tablespoon of Table Salt
- 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
Materials
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Wooden Spoon
- Sturdy Spatula
- Chef Knife or Pastry Cutter
- Baking Pans
- Vegetable Shortening
- Olive Oil
- Small Kitchen Scale (Optional)
- Cooling Racks
- Oven Mitts
Ready?
•This process will take about 4 hours plus prep and clean-up time
•The results will be rewarding
•Follow these basic instructions
Let’s Get Started
•Warm up your work area and supplies
•Add (1)tablespoon of yeast, (1)tablespoon flour and (1)tablespoon sugar to mixing bowl and blend together
•Add ½ cup of warm water and stir well
Temper your Yeast
•Mixture is smooth and creamy
•Set aside covered with towel in warm place for at least 15-20 minutes
Warm the Mix Water
•Warm 2 1/2 cups of purified water (keep warm through mixing process)
•Add (1) tablespoon of table salt
•Add (1) tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
Final tempered yeast
•Should be creamy and show air bubbles
•Have slight alcohol smell
Flour/Water Mix
•Start adding flour and warmed mix water to the tempered yeast, keep the ratio so mixture can be stirred with spoon
Finishing the Dough
•Keep adding flour and all of mix water
•Mix until dough is stiff and can be turned with a spatula
Get Ready to Knead Dough
•Dump dough out on a floured work surface
•Scrape remaining dough from mixing bowl
•Get ready for shoulder and torso exercise!
Knead your Dough
•Pull far sides of dough together up and over towards you
•Press into dough with heels of your hands, pushing away from you
•Turn dough a quarter turn and repeat
•Sprinkle flour around edge of dough and roll the dough into the flour continue using the knead method
•Thoroughly incorporate flour into dough mass
•Give the dough a couple stout slaps occasionally to activate gluten content
•Knead dough for 8-10 minutes
•Dough should have a smooth, elastic surface
Perform the finger indent test
•Finger does not stick to the dough
•Dough should recover
•Dough does not stick to work surface
Prepare Rising Bowl
•Wash mixing bowl with warm water and drop of dish detergent
•Use paper towel as wash cloth
•Spread Olive Oil on bottom and sides of bowl
•Put an extra dab of oil on bottom
First Rising of the Dough
•Place worked dough into bowl, press into form of bowl
•Flip dough mass over, oil on top surface prevents dough from drying out while rising
•Cover bowl with clean towel and find a warm spot in your work area.
Allow the dough to rise at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Be patient!
**Tips
•I use a portable electric heater in an area with no drafts
•The warmer the better, 75+ degrees F
First Rising Result
•Good result, doubled in size
•Look for the bump under the towel
Prep dough for loaves
•Dump dough on to a floured work surface
•Dough should have a light airy texture and smooth to the touch
•Punch down on the dough to release entrapped air use knead method to reform dough mass (smooth and pliable)
•For this recipe cut dough mass in half
•I use a kitchen scale for a consistent loaf size. 1 lb. 8 oz. makes a nice size loaf. This recipe makes approximately (3) loaves.
Shape Dough for Loaves
•Pat dough into an oval shape the length of the baking pan
•Ease and tuck the long sides under
•Plumping the loaf as you go along
Second Rising of the Dough
•Place the formed loaves in a greased pan (vegetable shortening)
•Double loaf pans are illustrated
•Place and cover pans in your warm work area
•Allow dough to rise in pans for at least 1-1 1/2 hours. Look for the bump under the towel
•Keep dough warm
•Be patient!
Into the Oven
•Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
•Bake for 48-50 minutes
•Keep oven door closed, don’t get nosey!
Your Creation “Bread”
•Golden brown on the top
•HOT!!!
•Tap top with finger, should be hard and sound hollow
•Flip loaves out on cooling racks
•Smell is outstanding !!!!!!
•Cool, slice, enjoy and share!
Congratulations!
You have just baked your own loves of authentic Italian white bread!
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