Post by Granny Smith on Sept 4, 2010 14:40:57 GMT -5
Basic White Bread (with Variations)
For this basic recipe, you'll need two bread pans (either 5 1/4"X 9 1/4" size or 4 1/2"X 8 1/2"); they can be metal or glass. For mixing, a heavy pottery bowl is ideal: it holds the heat best, but any bowl of about 4-quart size will do.
You'll need about 6 cups of flour, but have an amount in excess of this for dipping out as you need it. Heat the milk to just below the boiling point to scald it, then let it cool to about 105 degrees. (An easier way is to use 1 cup evaporated milk, which needs no scalding, with 1 cup of very hot water - the resulting temperature is usually about right. Or dissolve 1/4 cup dry skim milk in 1 7/8 cup [2 cups minus 2 T] warm water).
To make one loaf of bread from basic recipe, halve all ingredients except yeast and warm water: use 1 package yeast (1 T.) dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water. In step 8, shape into one loaf.
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees)
1 package yeast (1 T)
2 cups scalded milk, cooled to 105 degrees
2 T. melted butter, margarine, or salad oil
2 t. salt
2 T. granulated sugar
6-61/2 cups all purpose flour
Step 1:
Pour water into bowl; add yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in the scalded and cooled milk, then add the melted butter, salt, and sugar; stir until well-blended.
Step 2:
Stir in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Add 4th cup of flour and beat until dough is smooth and elastic (rest when you get tired). Mix the 5th cup of flour in to make a stiff dough.
Step 3:
Measure 6th cup of flour, sprinkle about half of it on the board. Keep a coating of flour on the dough as you begin to knead.
Step 4:
With floured hands, fold dough toward you with fingers; push firmly away with heal of your hand. Add more flour to board as it's kneaded in - until the dough no longer sticks.
Step 5:
Kneading is finished when non-sticky dough is smooth and satiny. Put dough in greased bowl, grease top slightly. Cover bowl and set in warm place (about 80 degreess) to rise.
Step 6:
Let dough rise until almost doubled (about 1 1/2 hours). Test by inserting 2 fingers about half inch into risen dough - if indentations remain, the dough is ready to shape.
Step 7:
Punch dough down; squeeze out air bubbles with your hands; shape into a smooth ball. Grasp in center of ball and squeeze dough to divide into equal portions for the two loaves.
Step 8:
Form each loaf by squeezing dough to press out air bubbles; shape into smooth ovals. Turn over in one hand; with other hand, pinch seam in center, turn ends, seal by pinching.
Step 9:
Put shaped loaves in greased pans, seams down. Cover; let rise until almost doubled (about 45 minutes). Put in 375 degree oven (350 if using glass pans).
Step 10:
Bake until nicely browned and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; turn loaves out of pans to cool before slicing and wrapping.
Herb Breads
Follow basic white bread recipe. If you want to make two kinds, in step 4 divide dough into two parts; knead each part separately, kneading a different herb into each. Select from these herbs, using the following amounts for each half of the dough: 1 teaspoon dill weed; 1 tablespoon savory; 1 1/2 teaspoons basil; 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano; 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme; or 2 1/4 teaspoons marjoram. If you want to make 6 small loaves,in steps 7 through 10, divide each half into 3 parts; shape as for large loaf. Let rise in 6 greased pans (3 1/4" X 5 1/2"); bake at 375 degrees about 25 minutes.
Egg Braid
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, break 2 eggs into a 2-cup measure; beat in scalded and cooled milk to make 2 cups and use this mixture in place of all milk. In step 8, divide the dough for each loaf into 3 parts; roll each into a strand. Braid each trio of strands together, pinching ends to seal. In step 9, let rise on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg before baking. Bake at 375, 30-=35 minutes or until nicely browned.
Tomato Caraway Snack Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use 2 cups of warm tomato juice in place of milk; add 1 T. caraway seeds. In steps 7 - 9, divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a long, thin loaf, about 14" long; let rise on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush with slightly beaten egg, and sprinkle each loaf with about 1 t. caraway seeds before baking. Bake at 375, 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned.
Poppy Seed Bubble Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In steps 7-10, pinch off pieces of dough (after it is punched down) to make tiny balls about 1" in diameter. Melt 2 T. butter. Measure 1/4 cup poppy seeds. Dip top of each ball first into butter, then into poppy seeds, and pile all the balls into one lightly greased 10" tube pan, seed side up; let rise. Bake at 375 about 55 minutes.
Orange-Raisin-Nut Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, but in step 1, use 2 cups warm orange juice instead of milk; add 1 T. grated orange peel, 1 cup seedless raisins, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
Diet Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use all water, or 1/4 cup of powdered skim milk stirred into 1 7/8 cups water, in place of milk. Omit shortening, salt, and sugar.
Onion Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use 1 can (10 oz) of onion soup and enough warm water to make 2 cups liquid in place of all milk; omit sugar, use only 1 t. salt, and add 1 T. instant minced onion. In steps 8 & 9, shape each loaf into a ball and place in a 1 quart round casserole; bake same as basic loaf.
Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In steps 8 & 9, roll out dough for each loaf into a rectangle about 6" X 16". Mix 4 T. sugar with 4 T. cinnamon; sprinkle half evenly over top of each rectangle. Beginning with the narrow side, roll each tightly into a loaf; seal ends and bottom by pinching together to make a seam. Let rise in 2 baking pans (5 1/4" X 9 1/4")
French Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use water in place of milk; omit shortening. In steps 8-10, shape into 2 oblong loaves; let rise on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with water and make diagonal slashes on top with a sharp knife before baking. Place in hot oven (400 degrees) - with shallow pan of hot water in oven bottom - until crusty and brown, about 45 minutes.
To Make Dark Breads
By substituting other flours for white flour in the basic white bread recipe, you can duplicate almost all your favorite kinds of dark bread. A number of possible combinations are given below. Most supermarkets carry whole wheat, graham, cracked wheat, buckwheat, and rye flours. Health food stores usually carry an even wider selection.
When you use these variety flours, here are some points to keep in mind: as the ratio of dark flour to all-purpose flour increases, so also does the rising time of your bread (instead of 1 1/2 hours, it may take 2 hours or more). Don't expect the darker breads to double in bulk when they rise; however, the same test described in step 6 of the basic white bread recipe is your guide to judge whether the bread has risen enough. Because the finished loaves of bread are smaller and more compact than white bread, you'll have more attractively shaped loaves if you use medium-size bread pans (4 1/2" X 8 1/2" or 3 3/4" X 7 1/2") instead of the standard (5 1/4"X 9 1/4").
Whole wheat is the only flour we suggest substituting for the entire amount of all-purpose flour. All other flours (including cracked wheat, graham, and rye) are best if not more than 3 cups are used - the other 3 cups in the recipe might be whole wheat or regular all-purpose flour. Such ingredients, such as whole bran, rye meal, wheat germ, and soy and buckwheat flours are best used in even smaller portions.
When you substitute other flours in our basic white bread, follow this order for mixing the flours and the liquid ingredients: 1st, 2nd, and 6th (or last) cups of flour should be regular all-purpose or whole wheat. The other flours can be the 3rd, 4th, and 5th cups you add.
Light Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 1 cup rye flour and 5 cups all-purpose. In step 1, stir in 2 T. caraway seeds (optional) This has greater volume than the darker breads, and is best baked in standard loaf pans.
Medium Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 2 cups rye flour and 4 cups all-purpose. In step 1, stir in 2 T. caraway seeds (optional)
Swedish Orange Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 2 cups rye flour and 4 cups all-purpose, as for medium rye bread. In step 1, add 2 T. grated orange peel and 1 T. caraway, anise, or fennel seed.
Dark Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 3 cups rye flour and 3 cups all-purpose.In step 1, omit sugar; instead of all milk, use half a cup of light or dark molasses with 1 1/2 cups milk. Add 2 T. caraway seed (optional)
Oatmeal Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 4 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups oat flour (found in health food stores or make it by whirling rolled oats in the blender or food processor until fine)
Pumpernickel Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, for flour, use 1 cup whole bran cereal, 2 cups rye flour, and 3 cups whole wheat flour. In step 1, add 1 T. caraway seed.
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using all whole wheat flour. In step 1, omit sugar; use 1/2 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup with 1/2 cups of milk, instead of all milk.
Soy Graham Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 1 cup soy flour, 2 cups graham flour, and 3 cups all-purpose flour.
Dark Mixed Grain Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, for flour, use 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup buckwheat flour, 1 cup rye, and 4 cups whole wheat. Omit sugar; use 1/2 cup of dark molasses with 1 1/2 cups milk, instead of all milk.
50% Whole Wheat, Graham, or Cracked Wheat Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 3 cups of any of these flours with 3 cups all-purpose. Use brown sugar, instead of granulate sugar, if you wish.
Fruit-Nut Graham Bread
Make 50% Graham bread as described above. In step 7, knead in 1 cup chopped mixed glaceed fruit or chopped, pitted dates and 1 cup chopped nuts. After loaves are baked, glaze while still warm with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar mixed with 1 T. water.
To Make Any Bread Recipe into a Refrigerated Bread Dough Recipe
Method 1: After kneading dough, place in greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, punching it down and recovering, if it gets too big. Remove from refrigerator, shape dough, let rise till double, then bake as usual.
Method 2: After punching down dough, shape and place in baking pans. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and allow to rise (if necessary), then bake as instructed in recipe.
For this basic recipe, you'll need two bread pans (either 5 1/4"X 9 1/4" size or 4 1/2"X 8 1/2"); they can be metal or glass. For mixing, a heavy pottery bowl is ideal: it holds the heat best, but any bowl of about 4-quart size will do.
You'll need about 6 cups of flour, but have an amount in excess of this for dipping out as you need it. Heat the milk to just below the boiling point to scald it, then let it cool to about 105 degrees. (An easier way is to use 1 cup evaporated milk, which needs no scalding, with 1 cup of very hot water - the resulting temperature is usually about right. Or dissolve 1/4 cup dry skim milk in 1 7/8 cup [2 cups minus 2 T] warm water).
To make one loaf of bread from basic recipe, halve all ingredients except yeast and warm water: use 1 package yeast (1 T.) dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water. In step 8, shape into one loaf.
1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees)
1 package yeast (1 T)
2 cups scalded milk, cooled to 105 degrees
2 T. melted butter, margarine, or salad oil
2 t. salt
2 T. granulated sugar
6-61/2 cups all purpose flour
Step 1:
Pour water into bowl; add yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in the scalded and cooled milk, then add the melted butter, salt, and sugar; stir until well-blended.
Step 2:
Stir in 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time. Add 4th cup of flour and beat until dough is smooth and elastic (rest when you get tired). Mix the 5th cup of flour in to make a stiff dough.
Step 3:
Measure 6th cup of flour, sprinkle about half of it on the board. Keep a coating of flour on the dough as you begin to knead.
Step 4:
With floured hands, fold dough toward you with fingers; push firmly away with heal of your hand. Add more flour to board as it's kneaded in - until the dough no longer sticks.
Step 5:
Kneading is finished when non-sticky dough is smooth and satiny. Put dough in greased bowl, grease top slightly. Cover bowl and set in warm place (about 80 degreess) to rise.
Step 6:
Let dough rise until almost doubled (about 1 1/2 hours). Test by inserting 2 fingers about half inch into risen dough - if indentations remain, the dough is ready to shape.
Step 7:
Punch dough down; squeeze out air bubbles with your hands; shape into a smooth ball. Grasp in center of ball and squeeze dough to divide into equal portions for the two loaves.
Step 8:
Form each loaf by squeezing dough to press out air bubbles; shape into smooth ovals. Turn over in one hand; with other hand, pinch seam in center, turn ends, seal by pinching.
Step 9:
Put shaped loaves in greased pans, seams down. Cover; let rise until almost doubled (about 45 minutes). Put in 375 degree oven (350 if using glass pans).
Step 10:
Bake until nicely browned and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; turn loaves out of pans to cool before slicing and wrapping.
Herb Breads
Follow basic white bread recipe. If you want to make two kinds, in step 4 divide dough into two parts; knead each part separately, kneading a different herb into each. Select from these herbs, using the following amounts for each half of the dough: 1 teaspoon dill weed; 1 tablespoon savory; 1 1/2 teaspoons basil; 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano; 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme; or 2 1/4 teaspoons marjoram. If you want to make 6 small loaves,in steps 7 through 10, divide each half into 3 parts; shape as for large loaf. Let rise in 6 greased pans (3 1/4" X 5 1/2"); bake at 375 degrees about 25 minutes.
Egg Braid
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, break 2 eggs into a 2-cup measure; beat in scalded and cooled milk to make 2 cups and use this mixture in place of all milk. In step 8, divide the dough for each loaf into 3 parts; roll each into a strand. Braid each trio of strands together, pinching ends to seal. In step 9, let rise on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with slightly beaten egg before baking. Bake at 375, 30-=35 minutes or until nicely browned.
Tomato Caraway Snack Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use 2 cups of warm tomato juice in place of milk; add 1 T. caraway seeds. In steps 7 - 9, divide dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each into a long, thin loaf, about 14" long; let rise on lightly greased baking sheets. Brush with slightly beaten egg, and sprinkle each loaf with about 1 t. caraway seeds before baking. Bake at 375, 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned.
Poppy Seed Bubble Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In steps 7-10, pinch off pieces of dough (after it is punched down) to make tiny balls about 1" in diameter. Melt 2 T. butter. Measure 1/4 cup poppy seeds. Dip top of each ball first into butter, then into poppy seeds, and pile all the balls into one lightly greased 10" tube pan, seed side up; let rise. Bake at 375 about 55 minutes.
Orange-Raisin-Nut Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, but in step 1, use 2 cups warm orange juice instead of milk; add 1 T. grated orange peel, 1 cup seedless raisins, and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
Diet Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use all water, or 1/4 cup of powdered skim milk stirred into 1 7/8 cups water, in place of milk. Omit shortening, salt, and sugar.
Onion Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use 1 can (10 oz) of onion soup and enough warm water to make 2 cups liquid in place of all milk; omit sugar, use only 1 t. salt, and add 1 T. instant minced onion. In steps 8 & 9, shape each loaf into a ball and place in a 1 quart round casserole; bake same as basic loaf.
Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In steps 8 & 9, roll out dough for each loaf into a rectangle about 6" X 16". Mix 4 T. sugar with 4 T. cinnamon; sprinkle half evenly over top of each rectangle. Beginning with the narrow side, roll each tightly into a loaf; seal ends and bottom by pinching together to make a seam. Let rise in 2 baking pans (5 1/4" X 9 1/4")
French Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe with these changes: In step 1, use water in place of milk; omit shortening. In steps 8-10, shape into 2 oblong loaves; let rise on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with water and make diagonal slashes on top with a sharp knife before baking. Place in hot oven (400 degrees) - with shallow pan of hot water in oven bottom - until crusty and brown, about 45 minutes.
To Make Dark Breads
By substituting other flours for white flour in the basic white bread recipe, you can duplicate almost all your favorite kinds of dark bread. A number of possible combinations are given below. Most supermarkets carry whole wheat, graham, cracked wheat, buckwheat, and rye flours. Health food stores usually carry an even wider selection.
When you use these variety flours, here are some points to keep in mind: as the ratio of dark flour to all-purpose flour increases, so also does the rising time of your bread (instead of 1 1/2 hours, it may take 2 hours or more). Don't expect the darker breads to double in bulk when they rise; however, the same test described in step 6 of the basic white bread recipe is your guide to judge whether the bread has risen enough. Because the finished loaves of bread are smaller and more compact than white bread, you'll have more attractively shaped loaves if you use medium-size bread pans (4 1/2" X 8 1/2" or 3 3/4" X 7 1/2") instead of the standard (5 1/4"X 9 1/4").
Whole wheat is the only flour we suggest substituting for the entire amount of all-purpose flour. All other flours (including cracked wheat, graham, and rye) are best if not more than 3 cups are used - the other 3 cups in the recipe might be whole wheat or regular all-purpose flour. Such ingredients, such as whole bran, rye meal, wheat germ, and soy and buckwheat flours are best used in even smaller portions.
When you substitute other flours in our basic white bread, follow this order for mixing the flours and the liquid ingredients: 1st, 2nd, and 6th (or last) cups of flour should be regular all-purpose or whole wheat. The other flours can be the 3rd, 4th, and 5th cups you add.
Light Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 1 cup rye flour and 5 cups all-purpose. In step 1, stir in 2 T. caraway seeds (optional) This has greater volume than the darker breads, and is best baked in standard loaf pans.
Medium Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 2 cups rye flour and 4 cups all-purpose. In step 1, stir in 2 T. caraway seeds (optional)
Swedish Orange Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 2 cups rye flour and 4 cups all-purpose, as for medium rye bread. In step 1, add 2 T. grated orange peel and 1 T. caraway, anise, or fennel seed.
Dark Rye Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 3 cups rye flour and 3 cups all-purpose.In step 1, omit sugar; instead of all milk, use half a cup of light or dark molasses with 1 1/2 cups milk. Add 2 T. caraway seed (optional)
Oatmeal Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 4 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups oat flour (found in health food stores or make it by whirling rolled oats in the blender or food processor until fine)
Pumpernickel Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, for flour, use 1 cup whole bran cereal, 2 cups rye flour, and 3 cups whole wheat flour. In step 1, add 1 T. caraway seed.
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using all whole wheat flour. In step 1, omit sugar; use 1/2 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup with 1/2 cups of milk, instead of all milk.
Soy Graham Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 1 cup soy flour, 2 cups graham flour, and 3 cups all-purpose flour.
Dark Mixed Grain Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, for flour, use 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup buckwheat flour, 1 cup rye, and 4 cups whole wheat. Omit sugar; use 1/2 cup of dark molasses with 1 1/2 cups milk, instead of all milk.
50% Whole Wheat, Graham, or Cracked Wheat Bread
Follow basic white bread recipe, using 3 cups of any of these flours with 3 cups all-purpose. Use brown sugar, instead of granulate sugar, if you wish.
Fruit-Nut Graham Bread
Make 50% Graham bread as described above. In step 7, knead in 1 cup chopped mixed glaceed fruit or chopped, pitted dates and 1 cup chopped nuts. After loaves are baked, glaze while still warm with 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar mixed with 1 T. water.
To Make Any Bread Recipe into a Refrigerated Bread Dough Recipe
Method 1: After kneading dough, place in greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, punching it down and recovering, if it gets too big. Remove from refrigerator, shape dough, let rise till double, then bake as usual.
Method 2: After punching down dough, shape and place in baking pans. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and allow to rise (if necessary), then bake as instructed in recipe.
