That’s MY bread maker!
He’s a fine bread maker.
And a fine bread maker, too. lol
The bread we go through is crazy, and it’s seemed one of those things you can’t buy enough of, and it’ll go just as quick. We’re not ‘white bread’ people either, so what we spend on bread can get….tiresome. So a few weeks back, my hubby decided he’d try making some. After all, he makes a mean pizza dough. And he had a good book that his parents let us have. (I think. I’m afraid we borrowed it, and never returned it, but he says no.) Anyway, they’re experienced…everything makers.
Anyway….I can’t tell you how many loaves he has made now, in the past few weeks. He loves doing stuff like that anyway. (What a blessing. lol) The rest of us love eating it up!!
The recipe we use is a version of a James Beard bread recipe. However, we like to replace 1 cup of the flour called for, with some whole wheat flour, for a bit of a healthier and heavier bread.
We’re sharing our version of the recipe with you today, at the end of this post.
If you happen to have the old book Beard on Bread (shown above), you can find the original recipe Basic Home-Style Bread, on Page 30.
I took photos one Saturday or Sunday not long ago, along the way, from flour and yeast, to our home smelling like something possibly from Heaven. Is there ANYTHING that smells as good as baking bread?? Few things, I reckon.
Working together the flour, proofed yeast (with milk and sugar), and salt.
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Rising.
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Doubled and ready for round 2!
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{JM} is the lucky kid who was around to punch it down! These little things make them SO happy, you know.
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Kneading some more.
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Dividing for 2 loaves.
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Rising for a second time.
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Hanging around, just looking good, while the bread bakes in the oven. He was so tired, I could tell, having chopped a lot of wood that day too.
Beep! Beep! Beep! (Timer goes off.)
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Knock-knock-knock! It sounds done.
But when the kids hear the timer go off , and the knocking….they come calling, to check for themselves. Everyone has to get into the knocking, you know. These little things make them SO happy, you know. : )
Sounds ready!!
Not quite perfectly formed, but that’s what happens when kids help. The family love that went into them is perfect! And oh….if you could smell our home right about now. For those of you who bake bread daily (I know you’re out there..) you know what I’m talking about. For those of you who buy fresh baked bread, you know what I’m talking about too. It’s the smell of a bakery. lol
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- 1 package of active dry yeast
- 2 cups of warm milk (100 to 115 degrees, approximately)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ~ 4 cups all-purpose flour
- *additional flour as needed when kneading
- *NOTE: The directions below are all done by hand. However, if you have a Kitchen Aid or other large mixer, as we do now, it is much faster to make this dough!
- Warm 2 cups of milk.
- Add the yeast to ½ cup of warm milk, along with 2 tablespoons of sugar, and stir well until the yeast is completely dissolved. Allow yeast to proof.
- Place the remaining milk, the melted butter, and the salt in a large bowl.
- Stir in the flour, *1 cup at a time, with a wooden spoon.
- *Start with first cup of whole wheat flour, and then for rest of recipe use all-purpose.
- After the third cup of flour, add the yeast mixture.
- Continue stirring in flour until the mixture is rather firm, which should take ~ 4 cups.
- Remove the dough to a floured board or smooth surface, and knead, adding more flour as necessary if it gets sticky, until it is satiny and no longer sticky.
- Butter a bowl and place the dough in it, turning and using your hands to coat all sides with the butter. Cover with a with a kitchen towel or other suitable covering.
- Options for Rising:
- Place covered dough bowl in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size (approx. 1.5 - hours)
- -OR-
- Heat oven to 170 degrees, and when it reaches temperature, turn the oven OFF, and place the covered dough bowl in the oven. ( ~ 1 hour)
- Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down firmly 2 or 3 times, and return to floured surface.
- Knead 4 or 5 minutes more.
- Divide dough into 2 equal parts, and shape into loaves.
- Place each in well-buttered 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.
- Cover and allow to rise again, in a warm, draft-free spot (or warmed/off oven again) until doubled in size.
- When loaves are risen, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slash the loaves with a sharp knife.
- Bake in 400 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes, or until bread sounds hollow when taped on with knuckles on the bottom.
- Optional: Remove from pans and put them in oven a few more minutes longer to become crisped.
- ENJOY!
What a delicious bread! Great for sandwiches. Toasted, is how I like mine.