Bread Making: A Tutorial

I have been a bread making machine lately. I seem to be somewhat addicted to fresh, homemade bread, right out of the oven, slathered with butter. It is like the ultimate comfort food.

I have had people rave over my bread and while I’m still debating posting the recipe I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks. I use 100% whole wheat bread with honey and flax seed.

Most recipes call for 1 tablespoon of yeast, but because I use all whole wheat flour and have trouble getting the bread to rise nicely; I double the amount of yeast.  The water you want warm, but not too warm.  Use water between 90-110 degrees F. I usually just hold my hand in the stream of water until it starts to sting a little.

Two Tablespoons Yeast

Sponging

That is 2 tablespoons yeast, 2.5 cups whole wheat flour, and 2.5 cups of warm water. You will need to mix it well. Make sure there are no lumps of flour. The more you mix/stir the more the yeast mixes in and the more the yeast mixes in the more your bread rises.

The Best flour for bread making!

You will need to cover (I use paper towels) and leave this mixture alone for 20 minutes. While you’re waiting, in a different bowl put 2 teaspoons salt, 3.5 cups whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup oil, 1/4 cup flax seed, and 1/2 cup of honey.  I use melted butter in place of oil and I grind the flax seeds.

Mixing, Mixing

When you have mixed it as much as you can  in the bowl, turn out on to a lightly floured surface and need until it is no longer sticky. (Or knead for at least 5 minutes again the more you knead the more the yeast likes it.)

Next you will invert the bowl over the dough and let sit for 20 minutes.

Lightly floured

Done kneading.

Inverted bowl

While you’re waiting again, butter a large bowl and set aside. When the 20 minutes are up, knead dough for 5 minutes and put in large buttered bowl. Cover with saran wrap (and towel but that is optional).

Clean up is a snap if you clean as you go.

Make sure the bowl is well buttered, You've got honey in the dough.

Covered with saran wrap

Rising in a warm, sunny spot.

You will let it rise for 90 minutes. It should at least double in size.  During this time you can waste time on facebook, twitter, or playing games.

Next you turn it out onto a floured surface, I usually leave the flour on the counter until after this step. Divide in half. I use the dull side of a butter knife.

Ready for dividing

Place divided dough in two well buttered loaf pans and allow to rise for 45 minutes.

Well buttered loaf pan

One done, one ready

I failed to mention you will need to shape it into a loaf.

When it is done rising, bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. While baking, add ice cubes to bottom of oven or squirt with water. After 10 minutes, reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

Immediately remove from pans onto wire cooling rack and allow to cool.

All that is left is your enjoyment and pride in a job well done. You might want to not cut into it right away, allow it to cool a little before cutting.

Hazy, Crazy, Lazy days

 

That is what today is, only it’s not summer. I have had moments of intense busyness today followed by more bouts of laziness. It’s a good thing I was extra productive this week, huh?

So far I have managed to make bread, watch Nebraska lose miserably to Michigan, get lunch, clean the kitchen, decide about supper, consume copious amounts of French roast coffee.

Speaking of that, isn’t there just something so good about French Press coffee? Delish. I love it. In the past 12ish hours I have made 6 or 7 cups with my french press and I’m not ashamed to admit, I drank all but 2 of them.  My youngest child loves coffee and will drink it black and strong. My oldest child isn’t all that impressed with coffee but she has discovered she loves it with plenty of flavored creamer. What she doesn’t know is every day I add a little less creamer. Bwahahahaha.

My French Press is rather small and only makes about 3/4 cup…well 3/4 my size of mug…and that just isn’t enough for me.

Not near big enough

I should ask for one for Christmas because I would love a larger one. Maybe like this:

 

 

I have also managed to watch Ohio State lose to Penn State.  I have also determined that next week I will not be watching any college football. It’s too dangerous.

Speaking of college football, what is with the coaches being in trouble? I’m thinking specifically of Sandusky of Penn State but today I also heard about the head coach at Missouri. He was suspended following his arrest for drunk driving.  That is horribly disappointing.

We woke to a skiff of snow this morning. We were of course promised a huge snow storm.

Thanksgiving. We are traveling this year to Mr. FullCup’s sister’s house. We have done this for the past 3 or 4 years. I have come to realize the only way we get a break is for us to leave town. Between Mr. FullCup’s two jobs and my ministry at the church we are just busy all the time. Holidays aren’t really holidays because there is still a lot of work to do. Yes, when we leave town it takes more work to get ready to leave and then when we get back there is more work because we were gone. But the break is so nice. We will probably also travel at Christmas just for the break but we haven’t decided for sure yet.

For Thanksgiving I need to remember to take the recipe for my pumpkin cheesecake. I’m also making extra bread now so we can take some of that too. I will probably also be making the green bean casserole. Speaking of making bread, in the past 3 days I have made 6 loaves. I know that only averages to two loaves a day, but I didn’t make bread yesterday.

I don’t about your house but when I make bread it is as good as gone. I have to make more than one recipe that day especially if we have been out of bread for a while.  Don’t you wish you were at my house?

Bread!

Daily Bread

 

I love making bread. I love the feel of the dough in my hands. I love the smell of fresh bread in the oven. But I especially love slicing into a loaf just as soon as it is cool enough to slice and slathering butter on it. I make sure the slice is extra thick too. Yummy!

I have been a bread making machine lately.  A few weeks ago I started making bread in earnest. For awhile I was making bread every day, or at least every other day. I was giving away half of the bread I made. Some I gave away because I thought the people would enjoy it, some I gave away because people asked to try my bread. I gave away two loaves because of a silly Facebook game. (“Be one of the first five to comment if you want something homemade by me sometime this year….and post this status on your page.”)

On friend who received a loaf of bread told us how much he liked it and how much he would like more. I mentioned I had been thinking about making some and selling it at the Farmer’s Market this summer. He wanted me to start the Farmer’s Market right now.  It is true I had been thinking about it and had figured out about what it cost me to make two loaves and thought it might be cost prohibitive.

Our friend asked how much and when I told him, he immediately ordered and paid for 6 loaves!

Wow, God! Thanks!!!

This weekend I was at a Christian Workers Conference (and actually, if we believe in Jesus, aren’t we all Christian workers?) and one of the vendors there makes and sells cookies out of her home.  You know my little middle-child brain went nuts with that, “if she can have a business selling cookies out of her home, I can make my bread and sell it too.”

Because I’m mature like that.

My competitive, middle-child brain said, “If she can do it, I can do it. But first I am so far behind! I mean, she has a cute name and business cards. BUSINESS CARDS! If I’m going to have any hope of competing with her, I had better get a move on!”

Yes, everything is a competition.  So I start pondering some spiritual names, and come up with an obvious one. I asked Mr. FullCup if he could think of one. He came up with the same obvious one, Bread of Life. I told him I’d already thought of it and he said it must be God’s will then because we both thought of it.

If only it were that easy.

When I returned home from the conference I was talking to a friend and she asked me if I was interested in another bread customer. Of course I said yes, and doubled my efforts to think of a name.  And that is where I need your help. I’ve thought of a few, and you can help me think of more and/or you can tell me which ones you like the best.

• Bread of Life
• Daily Bread
• Bread From Heaven
• Exodus 16:4 Bread
• My Full Cup of Bread

Now it’s your turn!