Saturday, May 5, 2012

How to make bread

This is for my Dad~~

6 cups of hot tap water
1 cup of honey
2 Tablespoons of yeast
2 Tablespoons of salt
1 cup of oil
10-16  cups of flour (any combination of white and wheat, I like to use 4 cups of freshly ground wheat and the remaining white)


Mix water, honey and yeast in a bowl. Proof yeast.


Pour yeast mixture into a large bowl and add salt and oil.



Mix wheat flour into wet mixture first (I add 4 cups of wheat flour) 
then add more flour to equal 10 cups.


Place half of the dough into a mixer and begin adding flour. This is what it looks like while it's still sticky.


 


Add enough flour so that the dough starts cleaning itself from the sides of the bowl. (Even if that means using more or less flour than is called for.) 
Then knead in the mixer for 4-5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.


Place in a bowl coated in vegetable spray.


This is what your kneaded dough should look like.

Let raise for 20-30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Spray your surface with vegetable spray and then 
pull off enough dough to fill your loaf pan 1/2 full. 
Flatten dough and roll up like a newspaper, tucking under the ends.

Smash down rolled loaf to get rid of any bubbles inside.


Place in loaf pans and press down to fill in the pan.
Let rise again for 20-30 minutes and place in a 320° oven.


Bake until starting to turn a little golden brown or 
thumping on the loaf creates a hollow sound. 
DO NOT OVERBAKE. This will create a very dry and crumbly bread. 
Butter the tops of the loaves as soon as they are removed from the oven.