Ho-made Bread.

2

Replies

  • sportyredhead01
    sportyredhead01 Posts: 482 Member
    Try cutting regular flour with bread flour and use better yeast.
    If you can swing Platinum yeast, that stuff's amazing. If not I just use instant.

    Also weigh your flour versus scooping. It makes your results much more accurate.
    I *try* to watch my carbs but make bread for my hubs since the commercial stuff is terrible.


    I make various versions of this recipe. Adding raisins and cinnamon, cranberries and cinnamon or whole wheat flour and oats.

    http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/no-knead-crusty-white-bread-recipe
  • independant2406
    independant2406 Posts: 447 Member
    I don't make bread much but I did for our past thanksgiving dinner.

    Here are suggestions my grandma gave me to keep the bread fluffy:

    Knead the bread till its super elastic and will stretch to make a thin sheet almost. (stretch the bread dough in all four directions and it should be super thin and elastic) - A good chance for an arm workout. :P
    Use bread flour (different from regular flour and makes it lighter)
    Use less flour (adding too much makes the bread too stiff.)
    Also check the expiration date on the yeast...its important the yeast is fresh and not sitting in the packet for very long.


    This seems contradictory to the don't knead too much advice? My head explodes easily :)

    Yeast is very fresh! Bought new to make sure :)

    Kinda sorta... the thing with bread is you have to know just when that elastic-y-ness is perfect. If you knead it past that point it will get dense. So Elastic but not super elastic... if that makes sense. The dough should be soft and pull easily into a "window" where its really stretched in all four directions till its thin (almost like balloon thickness and a little translucent) and if you can do that. Stop kneading. :) If you stretch it into a window and it breaks before it gets thin/translucent or if its super thick then you might have kneaded too much. I learned the hard way that my definition of elastic was wayyy to stiff- I kneaded it far past where it should be... lol.
  • polarsjewel
    polarsjewel Posts: 1,725 Member
    Odus, baby, sugar, honey, lemondrop...too much?

    TRUST ME. This recipe is ridiculously easy and requires almost NO work and uses a dutch oven too. You can add whatever you want to it also.

    http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

    Crusty Bread


    3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
    1 3/4 teaspoons salt
    1/2 teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
    1 1/2 cups water


    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

    I have made this recipe before, it is lovely and simple!
  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
    Tee hee, so I burst out laughing when I read the title. I think you mean home-made bread, your title suggests that a person of questionable morals made your bread.

    ...sorry to be a spelling nazi. And yes, I am an immature child laughing at that. Long day at work I guess.

    :)

    +1
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Try regular yeast and let it rise longer. All the tips given were great as well. Especially the keep trying, I make bread a lot, and some times they still don't come out right.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I'm telling you... This is an ART.
  • tinklemar
    tinklemar Posts: 71 Member
    I have never made my own ho-made bread, but this thread has me tempted to give it a try!
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Tee hee, so I burst out laughing when I read the title. I think you mean home-made bread, your title suggests that a person of questionable morals made your bread.

    ...sorry to be a spelling nazi. And yes, I am an immature child laughing at that. Long day at work I guess.

    :)

    +1

    sloth4.gif
  • ElemenopeeZ
    ElemenopeeZ Posts: 21 Member
    Oh and yeah, use bread flour. It's worth it.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Oh and yeah, use bread flour. It's worth it.

    I just bought 10lbs of regular flour. I shall donate 5 or something... just for you.

    because-i-love-you_582.gif
  • Original_Sinner
    Original_Sinner Posts: 180 Member
    I've never had good luck with quick rise....it's results are volatile and I can't count on it to produce good results unless I'm lucky.

    I would go the traditional route with warm water over hot. I know that's killed more than one loaf...

    Pretty much what bynsky said.
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    Just split top.
  • ElemenopeeZ
    ElemenopeeZ Posts: 21 Member
    Oh and yeah, use bread flour. It's worth it.

    I just bought 10lbs of regular flour. I shall donate 5 or something... just for you.

    because-i-love-you_582.gif

    :drinker:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Try regular yeast and let it rise longer. All the tips given were great as well. Especially the keep trying, I make bread a lot, and some times they still don't come out right.

    ditto here as well...

    Only tip I will give you came from my mother and that came from her mother...which came from her mother...you get the idea.

    You know you have stirred it enough when you leave flour in the bowl....
    You know you have kneaded it enough when the flour comes off the bread...

    You will know what I mean when you see it.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    Serious post is serious.

    I made bread from scratch this weekend and need experienced bread makers advice... It was very dense. I'd like something lighter and airier inside.

    What I did was a basic flour, quick rise yeast, hot water, little sugar & oil... herbs & asiago cheese.

    It was good, don't get me wrong, but very dense. Took about 6 hours, baked in a cast iron pot, dish of water in bottom of oven. Three separate Knead, Punch, Rise for an hour rounds of fun.

    Any good recipes? I'm determined to perfect bread based on my own obnoxious definition of perfection.

    Your mistake is glaring and obvious. Simply substitute cauliflower flour and it will always be light and fluffy. And, it rises in half the time, so you'll have plenty of time to complete that pine cone bird feeder project.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I came here to see a ho make some bread. Oh well. I'll just settle for a bottle of craft beer + self-rising flour. Simple, and yummy.
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    Oh and yeah, use bread flour. It's worth it.

    I just bought 10lbs of regular flour. I shall donate 5 or something... just for you.

    because-i-love-you_582.gif

    I have never bought bread flour and my ho-made bread is amazing!!
  • makingamiracle
    makingamiracle Posts: 41 Member
    My wife (quite an accomplished bread baker as you can see from my size) says that instead of measuring flour by volume, measure it by weight. If the flour is compacted, you can accidentally use more than the recipe calls for. If the rising worked ok (and it sounds like it did from your description) that is the second most likely culprit.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    My wife (quite an accomplished bread baker as you can see from my size) says that instead of measuring flour by volume, measure it by weight. If the flour is compacted, you can accidentally use more than the recipe calls for. If the rising worked ok (and it sounds like it did from your description) that is the second most likely culprit.

    Also this.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Serious post is serious.

    I made bread from scratch this weekend and need experienced bread makers advice... It was very dense. I'd like something lighter and airier inside.

    What I did was a basic flour, quick rise yeast, hot water, little sugar & oil... herbs & asiago cheese.

    It was good, don't get me wrong, but very dense. Took about 6 hours, baked in a cast iron pot, dish of water in bottom of oven. Three separate Knead, Punch, Rise for an hour rounds of fun.

    Any good recipes? I'm determined to perfect bread based on my own obnoxious definition of perfection.

    Your mistake is glaring and obvious. Simply substitute cauliflower flour and it will always be light and fluffy. And, it rises in half the time, so you'll have plenty of time to complete that pine cone bird feeder project.

    anigif_enhanced-buzz-4228-1379619464-0.gif
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Seriously... all awesome things I never knew about bread making. I'm one of those people "Well, if it says 120 degrees, 140 MUST simply be BETTER cause it's more!"

    101-This-is-Spinal-Tap-quotes.gif
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    AH YES! Forgot to add that you should always be weighing your flour.

    My recipe calls for exactly 452 grams, lol
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    Serious post is serious.

    I made bread from scratch this weekend and need experienced bread makers advice... It was very dense. I'd like something lighter and airier inside.

    What I did was a basic flour, quick rise yeast, hot water, little sugar & oil... herbs & asiago cheese.

    It was good, don't get me wrong, but very dense. Took about 6 hours, baked in a cast iron pot, dish of water in bottom of oven. Three separate Knead, Punch, Rise for an hour rounds of fun.

    Any good recipes? I'm determined to perfect bread based on my own obnoxious definition of perfection.

    Your mistake is glaring and obvious. Simply substitute cauliflower flour and it will always be light and fluffy. And, it rises in half the time, so you'll have plenty of time to complete that pine cone bird feeder project.

    Somewhere in the world, a kitten just died because you said this.

    I hope you can live with that.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    I have an Oster bread maker. I use the quick-rise setting, which knocks out a 2lb loaf in about 90 min. It's delicious, and makes amazing toast and sandwiches. And the best part: I throw in the ingredients and walk away. No work, no mess. Win.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    Just split top.

    GAH-ROAN!!!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • ElemenopeeZ
    ElemenopeeZ Posts: 21 Member
    Odus, baby, sugar, honey, lemondrop...too much?

    TRUST ME. This recipe is ridiculously easy and requires almost NO work and uses a dutch oven too. You can add whatever you want to it also.

    http://www.simplysogood.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

    Crusty Bread


    3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
    1 3/4 teaspoons salt
    1/2 teaspoon Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
    1 1/2 cups water


    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.


    NO joke, I almost sent you a FB message this weekend, I know you're gifted in the ho-made bread category!! :wink:

    You should have!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    I would prefer not to eat bread made by a Ho.
  • ElemenopeeZ
    ElemenopeeZ Posts: 21 Member
    I would prefer not to eat bread made by a Ho.


    Ho's are ppl too!!!!

    You're missing out.
  • boredlimodriver
    boredlimodriver Posts: 264 Member
    Ho ho ho

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