Tips for baking bread and loving the process

By guest writer Tracy Falbe

Many cooks are usually enthusiastic about baking bread until they read the recipe directions and get intimidated by the time involved. The kneading, rising, punching down, shaping, and rising again take hours. I realize few people, including myself, have time to bake all their bread, but I can honestly tell you that homemade bread can easily be added as a regular part of your family’s diet without any stress. Take the following tips to heart, and you’ll be buying the big bag of flour every time.

1. Baking bread does not take up much of your time. I like to say that baking some typical loaves of white or whole wheat bread requires 20 to 30 minutes work. The rest of the time, the bread dough is doing its job and rising. You don’t have to stand in the kitchen and watch it rise. For the hour and half while the dough is rising, you can do other things, like pick up the kids from school, take a nap, read email, do laundry, or go shopping. Planning your bread baking into schedule day is the trick.

2. Use your hands. Unless you are arthritic, mixing and kneading the dough with your hands is the easiest and most satisfying way to make bread. I love holding a big blob of bread dough after kneading it for 10 minutes. The dough is warm, expanding, and alive. It’s my favorite part of the process, and I recommend that bakers just use their hands. You don’t need to invest in a bread machine or fancy mixer with dough hooks unless you have a physical issue that makes kneading bread difficult.

3. Buy yeast in bulk. Those little 3-packs of yeast are the most expensive way to buy yeast. Buy the jar, or better yet, find a source for bulk yeast. You only need to buy 4 to 8 ounces at a time. Store the yeast in the refrigerator and it will keep for months. This way you always have it on hand when you want to bake bread. One tablespoon of yeast equals one packet.

4. Rising times vary. The warmer your house is, the faster your bread will rise. If it’s a hot day, check your dough early because it will probably double in size in 45 minutes.

5. The refrigerator is your friend. You can slow bread rising times by placing the dough in the refrigerator. This can be useful if you want to prepare dough in the evening and bake the loaves in the morning. The refrigerator is also a savior if you are in the middle of bread making and something comes up unexpectedly and you have to leave. Stick your dough in the refrigerator and then you can return to the project a couple hours later.

Because every family needs an endless supply of sandwich bread I am presenting this basic white bread recipe. It makes wonderful bread with basic ingredients that should be in your house. This recipe has spared me many trips to the store when all I needed was bread. And fussy kids will eat slices of it slathered with butter straight out of the oven.

Everyday white bread recipe

6-1/2 to 7 cups all purpose white flour

2 Tablespoons or packages of active dry yeast

1 Tablespoon of salt

2 Tablespoons of shortening

3 Tablespoons of sugar

2-1/4 cups hot water (105 to 115 degrees F)

Butter and oil for coating dough

Begin with 3 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, yeast, sugar, and stir briefly. Add the shortening in small chunks and then pour in the hot water. Mix ingredients well and break up the clumps of shortening. The dough will be sticky. Once ingredients are moist and well-blended, add another cup of flour. Mix this in well and then add another cup of flour. This is the fifth cup and at this point the dough will begin to stiffen. Pour another cup (the sixth) onto the counter and scrap dough onto the flour. Begin kneading the dough.

Kneading is a crucial process for blending the ingredients and stimulating the yeast, which is alive and respirating. To knead, push the dough ball with both hands with a slightly forward and downward pressure. This will smear the dough forward. Then with your fingers curl the dough back under your palms and push again. As you do this, the dough will become a longer and longer coil. Rotate it every few kneads to work it back into itself. Sprinkle with flour as necessary during kneading to keep it from sticking to the counter.

The dough must be needed for 8 to 10 minutes, and it will be a bit of a workout. By the time the kneading is done, you will have used about 6-1/2 to 7 cups flour. After the kneading, the dough should be smooth, elastic, not sticky, and if you poke it with your finger, the dough immediately expands to fill in the hole. Shape the dough into a ball. Drizzle oil in a big bowl. Put the dough ball into the oil and turn it to coat bottom. Then flip the dough ball over so that a nicely oiled surface is facing up. Cover loosely with a cloth and set aside to rise until its bulk has doubled.

Once dough is sufficiently risen, punch it down by pressing your fist into the center of it. Then smash the dough down all around with your fist. Cut the punched down dough into two parts and shape two loaves.

You can put your loaves into bread pans for an upright loaf that will make an excellent sandwich-shaped bread or you can put the loaves on cookie sheets to create more free-form loaves. Spread softened butter onto the loaves with your fingers to keep the dough from drying out.

Allow the loaves to rise until double for about 1 or 2 hours. Then bake in 425 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Spread more butter onto the crusts after taking them out of the oven. Let them set for about 10 minutes before removing from pans. After a couple more minutes, you can start cutting into them.

I encourage all home cooks to bake bread when possible. You will get superior nutrition and you will glow with satisfaction from all the compliments you will receive. Because I’m such a bread baking enthusiast, I created Recipe River that has a whole section of bread recipes.

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