Homemade Bread

Chef #205772's Note:

A recipe I have made since I was three with my mom and brother. Great for kids, because they will like to punch down the dough and can even shape it into teddy bears, like we did!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 20

Yield: 2.0 loaves

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 cups water, warmed
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 5 1/2 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the yeast with the warm water and stir in sugar until dissolved.
2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time.
3. Knead bread for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Place bread in a large bowl sprayed with olive oil spray and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and place in(inactive/not hot) oven to rise for one hour, or until dough has doubled in size. (If the kids really can't wait, 45 minutes works too!).
5. Punch down the bread and let the kids shape it, or put it into two loaf pans. I recommend brushing with an egg mixed with a tablespoon of water because it makes the bread taste better and makes it golden and crispy on the outside. Let the dough rise for another half hour (you can skimp on this to 20 minutes again if you have to!). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with margarine mixed with honey (about 2-3 tablespoons, to taste) and brown sugar (ditto, but packed). To store this bread, wrap very tightly in several layers of foil, or put in a large Ziploc bag and seal. But, it's best warm and served the same day -- however putting chunks in the microwave for 10 seconds if it's a day old helps, too. (Forgive me for my run-on sentences -- I am educated!).
6. P.S. Even for a health nut like I usually am, using whole-wheat flour exclusively in this recipe gives it a bad reputation.

Reviews

[cookingnh]

Very easy and came out very good. Taste great with butter. It is a little bland without butter, jam, etc. Next time, I plan to add butter to the recipe.

[dweiler]

I made this, turned out great!
I let mine rise for the full time and let my yeast activate for around 5 minutes, I think next time i'll be more careful on how i punch it down to get a more smooth finish.

[kirsten520]

This was my first attempt at a homemade bread, and I have to say I was fairly disapointed. I found it to be too heavy (thick, and spongy, like cake, not the typical bread I'm used to) and mostly flavorless. I did add the butter that other reviewers suggested and was still unimpressed. It was ok, great im sure for the kids to play with and get used to cooking, and easy to understand make, but as for me, I won't be making it again.