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Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry ( Forum Locked)
4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry

Topic: Baking all of our bread

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Connections
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 5:52am \| IP Logged

I would like to start baking all of our bread, but I don;t know where to start. I have never made a sandwich bread and would love a recipe (that you can make without a bread maker).

Any tips on baking bread daily?

Thanks,

Trinity
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 7:13am \| IP Logged

I used to use a bread machine, but I find we can easily eat more than one loaf in a day. I also enjoy kneading bread, it is almost therapeutic and relaxing. : )

This is our basic white recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amish-White-Bread/Detail.aspx I use far less sugar though!

And this is our basic roll recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Dinner-Rolls/Detail.aspx

I usually start the bread as soon as possible in the morning. Once the ingredients are mixed and kneaded I put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a towel. I turn the oven on for a minute just to warm it up and turn it off. The dough rises so much quicker and higher in a warmed oven. The bowl goes into the oven until it rises high enough then I take it out and punch it down again and seperate it into two greased bread pans. I turn the oven on again for a minute then put the pans in to rise. Once the dough rises enough I go ahead and bake them.

If you will be baking bread reguarly, you will probably not want to purchase your yeast from a grocery store. It can be quite expensive. I have found most warehouse clubs (Costco, BJs, etc) sell yeast in bulk for only a few dollars. We purchase the Fleischmann's Yeast in a 2 pack of the 1 pound packages for maybe $3 or $4. Once I open a package I transfer it to a glass container and store it in the refrigerator.

I do want to start saving even more by purchasing wheat berries in bulk and grinding them myself. Most mills seem expensive though, so I have not done that yet.

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Kristie 4
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 9:37am \| IP Logged

I bake my bread very here and therey!

Once I get enough flour into the foamy yeast to make a batter (similar to cake batter) than I stir 100 times with a whisk. At this point I may finish up the dough and let it rise OR I will just put a towel over this 'sponge' and let it rise (for up to an hour and a half). This buys me time if I am teaching math, reading aloud etc. Then when I finish making my dough and put it to rise I punch it down after an hour and a half and put it in pans, OR if I still feel pretty busy I may just let it rise again in the bowl! All of this is just to say that bread can be put on hold if life steps in- one of the key reasons I am able to keep us in bread most of the time!!

The More with Less cookbook has great bread recipes!

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Posted: March 21 2011 at 10:20am \| IP Logged

Thisis a yummy, simple recipe.

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DominaCaeli
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 11:17am \| IP Logged

I use the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day method to bake almost all our family's bread. My favorite sandwich bread recipes are the Buttermilk Bread (very soft, but all white flour) and the Honey Whole Wheat (which I think is from their second book, Healthy Breads in Five). I don't like a "crusty" crust for sandwich breads, so I skip the water-in-the-oven method and soften it after baking by cooling it under a towel. If you let it cool completely, it does slice fairly well. There are other options in the book that will be softer and more sandwich-bread like, but my crew is used to more rustic varieties so I don't bother.

I do pita bread and pizza dough regularly, usually with the light wheat boule recipe. I also make various breakfast breads on a weekly basis, as well as sweets with the enriched doughs for Sundays and special occasions.

I buy yeast and vital wheat gluten in bulk from Amazon. For this method, all you really need is a few large containers for storing dough (I use old ice cream tubs), loaf pans, cookie sheets, and parchment paper or a silpat (I use both). I have tried to look for a cheap source for white and whole wheat flours, but I have found that my supermarket's sale prices are cheaper than online options, so I stock up. I don't grind my own flour (yet

).

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Erin
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 3:11pm \| IP Logged

Tracey

I've made alot of dud recipes before I had success everytime with this one.

Large Family Bread/Rolls.
Sometimes I shape these into rolls, very easy, I don't knead much at all. Easily enough for our family of ten.

4 cups warm water
1/3 cp honey/sugar
3/4 cp powered milk (can omit, I do)
1tbsp yeast, sprinkle on top
leave for @2min for yeast to bubble
add sprinkle salt
1/3 cp oil
12 cps plain flour

Mix together, cover with glad wrap leave in warm spot.
when risen double (1 hr or more) punch down (knead in bowl)
Shape inot loaf or rolls (24 sml/18 large)
knead while shaping
Leave to rise again to double (@ 1/2-3/4 hr)
cook rools to 1/2hr at 200degC, fan-forced.

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Liz D
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Posted: March 21 2011 at 9:28pm \| IP Logged

Tracey,

Here is a recipe without yeast. But it doesn't make the best sandwich bread because it is somewhat crumbly. We use it anyway.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 cups white flour plus 1/4 cup (when kneading)
1 egg

Mix it all together. Knead it adding the extra 1/4 cup or so flour as needed until it is all well mixed and smooth. Then divide into half, shape into round loafs, and bake on oiled cookie sheet for 35-40 min at 350 degrees. Remove from pan and cool on cooling racks.

Liz

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Capsela
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 7:18am \| IP Logged

I bake all of our bread now. The recipe I like the best is this one from allrecipes. It makes 3 loaves of bread (or 4 Pampered Chef mini loaves plus a regular loaf). It slices very well for sandwiches.

Kelly, mom to Jack (9), Max (6), Jamie (3) and Tommy (5 months)

Capsela
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 7:26am \| IP Logged

Trinity wrote:

I do want to start saving even more by purchasing wheat berries in bulk and grinding them myself. Most mills seem expensive though, so I have not done that yet.

After much research this winter I bought the grain mill attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer. I love it! It was the least expensive motorized option I could find. And our Walmart carries chemical free and non-gmo wheat berries in 25# bags for less than $13. That's better than half the price I was paying at Whole Foods.

Kelly, mom to Jack (9), Max (6), Jamie (3) and Tommy (5 months)

Sharyn
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 2:43pm \| IP Logged

Erin, 12 cups of flour!!! I've been wondering where to get flour from in bulk for a good price as our family are needing to start making larger quantities of bread, though not quite close to 12 cups worth yet

What do you get and from where?

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Erin
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 3:41pm \| IP Logged

Sharyn

12 cups is for a large family size batch. For this recipe I just use plain flour from the Supermarket. About $2/kg, maybe a little less.

Actually our family is mostly grain free now (a whole 'nother story) and I'm paying $12/kg for almond flour

I'm not in America so I can't really help there. If you already have the motor I would second Kelly's recommendation of a grain mill. So much healthier for you, if we were still using wheat I would buy an attachement.

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Sharyn
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 8:10pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Erin! I'm an Aussie too which is why I wondered what you bought.

I've only just started making our own bread daily, though I have gone through patches of making it in the past. I have so far been using a breadmaker, but our family is already able to eat more than the bread maker can make so I'm going to buy some tins soon.

I'm in the process of trying to talk my dh into buying a grain mill soon. In the mean time I was wondering what would be the best place to source bulk flour from for a reasonable price. We do have a flour mill locally, though some distance from us, I might see if they sell in bulk.

Here is a good bread recipe I found Home made wheat bread I have been using the revised recipe which you have to scroll down a little for, although I don't add everything listed. It makes a lovely soft and delicious loaf.

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Sharyn
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Posted: March 22 2011 at 8:12pm \| IP Logged

Sharyn wrote:

Here is a good bread recipe I found Home made wheat bread I have been using the revised recipe which you have to scroll down a little for, although I don't add everything listed. It makes a lovely soft and delicious loaf.

Forgot to say there are lots of good tips for making bread on this site too.

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Connections
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Posted: March 25 2011 at 4:04pm \| IP Logged

Thanks everyone. I am excited to give this a try!

JodieLyn
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Posted: March 25 2011 at 4:58pm \| IP Logged

A friend just shared that her family prefers a roll to sliced bread for sandwiches when making homemade bread. what she does is roll out your regular bread dough and then cut out circles with a 3" biscuit cutter.. they make a hamburger bun sorta roll that they slice in half and fill for sandwiches.

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Erin
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Posted: March 25 2011 at 5:06pm \| IP Logged

Sharyn wrote:

I'm in the process of trying to talk my dh into buying a grain mill soon. In the mean time I was wondering what would be the best place to source bulk flour from for a reasonable price. We do have a flour mill locally, though some distance from us, I might see if they sell in bulk.

Sharyn
Have you a juicer already? I've a champion and was just considering buying a grain mill attachment when I realised grains were going to have to be out. I used to buy flour from Kialla but I really can't remember if it was cheaper than Woolies. It was organic though

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juststartn
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Posted: March 29 2011 at 12:32pm \| IP Logged

Do any of you ladies use a Pullman loaf pan? Its the one that makes typical store bought-looking loaves of sandwich bread. I've got a bread recipe I want to try in it, but was wondering if any of you had used one of these pans and had any advice. Per the trend, our favorite storebought brand is shrinking in size and the taste has changed (goodness only knows what they have changed in the recipe).

Rachel

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Servant2theKing
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Posted: March 29 2011 at 1:21pm \| IP Logged

If you don't find a Pullman loaf pan to be economical or readily available, we simply use well-greased glass baking pans. Pyrex brand loaf pans are more square shaped on the underside. We don't wash ours too throughly...they get a nice brown seasoned finish if you allow them to. When we first started baking bread the glass pans had to be heavily greased...now they require less to keep the bread from sticking.

When we started baking bread I obsessed over getting just the right loaf pans....economy won out...we have been quite pleased with the six glass loaf pans we eventually accumulated and use whenever we bake bread. We also use cookie sheets and shallow cast iron pans or skillets for loose form breads or focaccia.

As far as flour goes...be careful of buying too much flour in bulk. One of our favorite bread book authors cautions that flour can indeed go stale. You can freeze it, but like anything else it has a definite shelf life (I've read anywhere from 6 mos in the pantry and up to 2 yrs frozen in heavy-duty freezer bags). Storing flour in an airtight heavy duty container is also desirable for avoiding bug or pest issues. Wheat berries, that have not been ground into flour have an almost indefinite shelf life.

A tip we discovered, helps if using a Kitchenaid mixer...we used to have dry ingredients sticking to the bottom of the bowl, even after kneading the dough in the bowl for several minutes and adjusting the mixer's height. Now, we put half the water from a recipe in the bottom of the bowl, add dry ingredients, then slowly add remaining water. I read somewhere that you ought to use the paddle blade of the mixer first, while mixing ingredients together; then switch to the dough hook for kneading. Works like a charm.

Happy baking everyone!

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Sharyn
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Posted: March 29 2011 at 5:45pm \| IP Logged

Rachel I just got a tin last week that seems to be a Pullman loaf pan. You can see it here, it's the Loaf panwith the flour bucket behind it. I got the largest, a 12"x5". It is an excellent quality, very solidly made and no doubt will last a lifetime. It has been making excellent loaves. I've been appreciating the ease of cutting compared with a loaf made in a breadmaker.

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Sharyn
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Posted: March 29 2011 at 6:04pm \| IP Logged

Erin wrote:

Thanks for the link Erin! I checked the site and it seems they have a WA distributor which sells alot of other organic food too, so it will be interesting to go take a look.

I managed to find a place near us that specialises in selling bread products and got a 10kg bag for a reasonable price. Per loaf it works out at just under $2. The kids have been loving it, I don't think they would let me stop now

And it's wholemeal too which they previously disliked.

I haven't got a juicer though it is also on my list of things to get. You've made me think about waiting on getting a grain mill though because we are at the beginning of working out intolerance issues at the moment and it might be wiser to see what we find out first before making what will be a large investment. So thanks for getting me thinking more on that!

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