Crash Course: Making Bread Pt 1

In this first of a continual series of crash courses, I'll be showing you how to make a basic loaf of bread. Nothing fancy or complex. This is just to get your feet wet. There will be a lot of pictures, and easy instruction. If you want something more complicated or creative, we'll do that in a different entry.

Why make your own bread:

Making your own bread is a great release of stress, especially when you're kneading it. You can get out so much frustration. Regardless of the emotional benefits (lol) you'll be learning how to make something useful, nutritious and delicious.

Regular commercial breads are full of excess salt, sugar, preservatives and yes folks, many times, high fructose corn syrup. Why does bread need HFCS? That's beyond me. When you feed your family, you'll feel good about it's simplistic wholesomeness, and enjoy it.

In another crash course, we'll discuss making your own sourdough starter by 2 simple ingredients and how to capture the wild yeasts floating around in the world.

About this Bread:

This is a basic white bread for slicing/tearing loaves, or rolls, or anything you need a simple bread for. There are a lot of bread recipes out there. You can find any flavor you'd like on the net. But, when shit hits the fan you're going to want to know how to make flour into something edible and nutritious. If you've made bread before, wonderful! If not, this is the crash course for you!

Ingredients:

1 pkg instant dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar (any natural sweetner is good. It is used to feed the yeast. DO NOT USE ARTIFICIAL CHEMICAL SWEETNERS!)
1 C. Warm Water @ 100 - 110 degrees Fahrenheit (More for Kneading)
2 Tbsp. oil (Any liquid cooking oil will work just fine)
1 Tbsp Salt (This is optional, but without it the bread will be very bland)
3 C. A/P Flour (More for kneading)

How To:

I like to clean as I go, so I make a sink of hot soapy water to drop in my utensils until I'm able to wash them.

In a large bowl, add 1 package of yeast.

To the yeast add 1 cup of warm water between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need more water for kneading if it's too dry, so put some in a cup to have on hand.

• Too cool - yeast will be slow to bloom if at all
• Too warm - yeast will die

Add 1 tsp of sugar. Yeast eats sugar. The yeasts have been dormant and probably kept in the refrigerator (or at least it should be), so they're hungry. This will give them a good head start, so they'll burp and make the carbon dioxide gas that lets the bread rise and gives it its yeasty flavor. You won't taste the sugar.

Let the yeast nom on the sugar for about 10-15 minutes. The longer you let it chill the more developed the flavor will be. As long as the yeast stays at room temperature, you can keep this going for a while. The yeast will be foamy and fragrant. I start drooling at this point. Mmm so good!

Now, we'll start building the rest of the dough. Add 1 Tbsp of salt. Feel free to add more or less depending on how you like it. I do add some, because it can be terribly bland otherwise.

Add 3 Cups of flour. You may need more for as you knead if it's too sticky to keep some out in a dish to have on hand.

I start mixing it with a wooden spoon, until it tightens up, and starts forming a mass.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil. I add the oil after I have stirred a little well in the flour. This adds a little more moisture and helps with the sticky factor. You'll knead less, require less water/flour adjustments, resulting in a more tender texture.

It's BREAD HAAAAANNNND! No, but really. Once it starts looking like this from stirring, it's time to get your hands in there. Start working it in the bowl some, and let it come together a little more.

It's still going to be floury and flaky at this point. Turn it out onto your counter, or other kneading surface. Make sure that it is clean and dry before you start. Now knead my lil' breadsticks, KNEAD!!

Weather, and moisture content of ingredients can differ from batch to batch. But don't panic! This is easy to fix.

IF IT'S TOO DRY: Knead for a couple of minutes. If it is still too dry and not coming together any more and is just crumbling apart, you can add a little more water at this point. Only add 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead for a little bit before you add any more. It takes a few minutes for the flour to absorb the water. It will be a bit sticky to your hands while you knead it, but don't add more flour just yet. You'll see it will come together more and more. 

IF IT'S TOO WET: If it's too wet still, and sticks to the counter and your hands, sprinkle some flour on the counter, your hands and the dough. Knead it in. Keep repeating this until it is no longer sticky. Do this a little at a time. No more than a tablespoon or two. Let the flour absorb the moisture and combine itself.

Keep adjusting little by little and you'll get it. I promise. Bread making is very much a "feel" thing. Trust your instincts and take your time!

You can see from these pictures that the rough looking dough becomes smoother and smoother. It will also become more elastic as the gluten forms strings. This is what gives bread its texture, the gluten proteins. The more you work it the more chewy your bread will be.

Work your dough until it becomes smooth and consistent.

In a new clean bowl, or the same bowl you used to make the dough, add another tablespoon of oil. 

Coat the bowl and and dough ball with the oil. This will help it from forming a skin which would give you a tougher crust, and keep it from sticking to the bowl, too much as it rises.

Now cover the bowl with a clean dish cloth and keep in a warm place where it won't be bothered for no less than 1 hour. The longer it rises the more developed the flavor will become

.In Part 2: Punching down, 2nd rise, shaping, baking, finished product!