Friday, July 4, 2008

Bread Report


I am trying to teach myself to make bread from scratch and by hand. There is a learning curve to this and I am still at the bottom. I love the idea of it though, so I am not discouraged. I have my bread guru, my sister-in-law, Jen, that I seek guidance from in troubled times. Look at this trouble. 

In other words, it was too dense and should only be used as a doorstop.

Jen gave me this great book on bread basics, 
but I'd rather have her here to hold my hand. 
She has already been through all the work of perfecting the art of bread-making. She's so good at it, that she could probably make bread out of two gum wrappers and some saw dust. She's the Bread MacGyver.

 


2 comments:

The Baby Catcher said...

Anna,
I have used this recipe for 25 years, and like the name, it has NEVER failed me. It's not wheat, but it's dang good white bread. I use my Bosh mixer hence the wire whips and dough hooks.°Ü°

Never Fail Bread

4 ½ cup VERY warm water
2 Tbs. + 1 tsp yeast
¼ cup sugar
LET ABOVE MIXTURE “BUBBLE”

THEN ADD AND MIX WITH WIRE WHIP UNTILL SMOOTH:
1½ square melted butter (save other ½ square to butter top of bread after baking)
1½ t. salt
1 cup sugar
6 cups flour

CHANGE TO DOUGH HOOK AND ADD:
6 -7 cups flour, mix 6 minutes in Bosh or mixer.

Roll out on cloth canvas and knead till soft as a babies bottom.
Put directly in greased pans. Let rise until doubled.
Bake 350º 25 minutes. Remove from pans, butter tops, and cool on cooling rack.
Note: When mixing in Bosh mixer or like it, there is no need to let bread rise the first time.
If not, you must let dough rise after kneading it until doubled, then punch down and put in pans then let rise again.

jen said...

You're gonna make me cry. MacGyver was a hero of mine in my younger days. To even mention me in the same sentence as his name... *sniff*... gosh Anna, I love you, too.

where is everyone?