We sure do go through the bread here. Well, not a ton but about 1-2 loaves a week. Yum 🙂 I would like to have a less carby diet but ombegeez, fresh bread is good.
I’ve been making our bread for a few years (with a break taken for morning sickness and when C was tiny!) and have failed A LOT. At least a couple good loaves have come out of it though! 😉 It’s easy, quick, and is much healthier than store bought bread. Plus C can “help” me bake now, which is messy AND fun!
Recently I experimented with baking bread in a dutch oven after seeing a friend TOTALLY succeed with it. Alas, I gave up after a few tries of TOTALLY failing 😦 . Anyone out there have advice for that?
Here are my current favorite recipes:
NO KNEAD!! Whole Wheat Brioche (Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day) 4 c whole wheat flour 3 cups UNBLEACHED all purpose flour 1.5 T yeast 1 T kosher salt .5 c vital wheat gluten 2 1/4 c lukewarm water 1.5 sticks melted butter 3/4 c honey 5 large eggs Mix everything together. Cover and let rise for a couple hours. Shape into loaves. Cover and let rise about an hour. Bake 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 2 loaves. Triple Cheese Bread (King Arthur Flour recipe) 3/4 c water 2 t yeast 3 c unbleached all purpose flour 2 T honey 1.5 t salt 2 T butter, softened .5 c shredded cheddar .5 c cottage cheese 3 T grated parmesean Dissolve yeast in water. Add remaining ingredients. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rise. Deflate, shape a loaf, cover and let rise. Bake 30-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 1 loaf. Everyday Oat Bread (from A Sonoma Garden who got it from Bob’s Red Mill) 1 1/4 c water 1.5 T honey 1.5 t salt 1.5 T melted butter 1/3 c oatmeal 2 c unbleached white flour 1 c whole wheat flour 2 T vital gluten 2.5 t yeast Dissolve yeast in water. Add remaining ingredients. Knead for 8-10 minutes. Cover and let rise. Deflate, shape a loaf, cover and let rise. Bake 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. Makes 1 loaf.Extra Tidbits of Information
- I use white whole wheat flour.
- Using unbleached flour is really important.
- Covering your bread while it rises is imperative!
- I buy my yeast in bulk at Costco, so much cheaper!
- I use whey (from straining my homemade yogurt) instead of water.
- I always make wheat bread. White bread is yummy but doesn’t fill me up and leaves me wanting more in 5 minutes!! Plus wheat is healthier if you ARE going to eat carbs!
I am a very amateur bread maker. If you have any tips, please let me know!