In the last class I taught you how to make a mouth-watering brisket. I also talked about my favorite sandwich to make with the brisket. Now, just imagine that sandwich made on homemade bread. Sounds unbelievable, right? Well, in this class I am going to teach you how to make bread. Before you start telling yourself that it is too hard and too involved, let me tell you that if you make it once, you will want to make it again and again. In this class I will demystify the bread making process and give you some tips that will help make sure you make a delicious loaf of bread.
Before you start cooking, I want to talk a little about the processes that not only make bread rise, but also give it its texture. The first thing is yeast. Yeast is part of the fungus kingdom and it eats sugar and produces either alcohol or carbon dioxide. So when you add yeast to flour, it eats the sugars in the flour and creates carbon dioxide which makes the bread rise. When you bake the bread the yeast dies and the air pockets set, this gives bread its wonderful texture. Yeast can stay alive for long periods of time in a cold environment. Think of it as asleep. But high temperatures will kill yeast, so please keep this in mind when storing it.
I want to talk about one more thing, gluten. Gluten also contributes to bread’s texture. It is a protein found in wheat and you develop it by kneading the bread. It’s responsible for creating the lovely elasticity in dough. Okay, now that you know how these processes work, let’s get cooking.
This recipe will make two loaves of bread. You will need: one package dry active yeast, a fork, a whisk, two and ¼ cups warm water (110-115 degrees), one tablespoon sugar, two teaspoons salt, three tablespoons olive oil, six and ¾ cups all-purpose flour, wooden spoon, two large bowls, clean kitchen towel, two 9X5 loaf pans, cooling rack, spray oil and a liquid measuring cup.
The first thing you will do is activate the yeast. Remember, you wake it up with warmth. This is where the warm water comes in. You don’t need a thermometer, simply turn on your tap and when the water is just getting warm, but not hot, fill your measuring cup with two and ¼ cups of water.
Next add the entire package of dry yeast. I like dry yeast better than cake yeast because it comes in easy to use pre-measured packs and you can easily store any extra packs in the fridge. To the yeast and water, add in the sugar. Why? It helps give the yeast something to eat as it wakes up. Once you have added the yeast and sugar, stir well with the fork and set aside. You will know it is ready to add to the other ingredients when it starts to bubble and foam.
While the yeast is activating, whisk together the salt and three cups of flour. Once the yeast is ready, put two tablespoons of olive oil into with it and then pour all of it into your flour and salt. Okay, at this point you can use a stand mixer with the flat edge beater and mix it on high for three minutes until it is smooth. Or, what I prefer is to simply use a wooden spoon and stir it until it is smooth. I like this because I feel I have more control and there isn’t a possibility of over-mixing, which will result in a tough dough.
Once the dough is smooth, start slowly stirring the remaining flour into the dough. You may use it all, you may use more or you may not use all of it. The dough will tell you how much flour it can take. Stir in flour until a soft dough has formed. You don’t want it to be wet or sticky.
Now, put a light coating of flour on your clean kitchen counter or clean cutting board and put your dough on it. You flour the area where you are going to knead so the dough doesn’t stick. If it starts to stick, you can add some more flour. The next step is kneading the bread. Kneading is crucial because it develops the gluten. Without that development the bread would be tough and flat. If you over knead your bread it will be dry and tough, if you under knead it, it will be floppy and loose. There is a right way to knead. What you do is fold the dough over and push down with the heel of your hand. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the move. Keep doing this until the dough is smooth and elastic. A good test is to press your finger on it; an elastic dough should fill in the indentation your finger left. For this recipe you will knead the dough for eight to ten minutes.
Once you have kneaded the dough. Take a tablespoon of olive oil and coat a large bowl. Now, take your dough ball and roll it in the oil in the bowl so it is completely coated. This is to prevent any drying or cracking while it is rising. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm (not hot), draft free area. Let it set until it doubles in size, about one hour.
After is has doubled in size, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Punch the dough down. This literally means that you take your fist and punch the center of the risen dough. Next, coat your loaf pans with spray oil. Now divide your dough in half and place them in the loaf pans. Cover the pans again and let these double in size, this will take about 30 minutes.
Once they have doubled in size, do NOT punch them down! You want the dough to go into the oven full of that carbon dioxide created by the yeast so the texture will be light and airy. Place the risen dough in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. A fully cooked loaf will sound hollow when you tap it. Once cooked, immediately remove from the pans and place on the cooling rack. That’s it!
Trust me, once you have made homemade bread, you will never be satisfied with store bought again. And the scent of the bread cooking in the oven is intoxicating. Once you have mastered basic bread you can start having fun and adding in sweet or savory elements. Remember, as with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what helps you create delicious meals you’ll never forget.