BREAD BAKING

Bread-Baking Basics!!
Many people think it's hard to bake homemade bread and rolls.....but it REALLY isn't!

With a couple times under your "belt", you'll find how easy it is!

Yup, we're covering VERY EASY cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls and more the next week or two....did I say very easy??

Nothing much better than smelling the bread bake and the ooooohs and ahhhhhs you'll get at dinner for very lil effort. Aside from you mixing/kneading, kneading again, and baking, it takes care of itself!

Generally, here are basic instructions and recipes!

1. Put 1 cup of warm water plus one tablespoon sugar in a mixing bowl. Add two tablespoons of yeast. Let sit for about five minutes.

2. Add three cups of flour, 1 cup of milk, dash of salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 3-4 tablespoons of oil or melted (and cooled) margarine or shortening. Stir 50 times clockwise, and then 50 times counter-clockwise.

3. Add another 3 to 4 cups of flour and mix until the dough forms a good ball. Turn dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and let it sit for ten minutes. Then, knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Let rise in a greased bowl for about an hour (it should double in size). Punch down the dough. Let it rise again for 30 to 45 minutes. Divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place in loaf pans and bake at 425 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.
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Pullman Bread Made With Yeast:

2 packages active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (100 to 115F)

2 teaspoons sugar

6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) sweet butter

Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with the sugar, let it proof. Combine 6 cups of the flour with the salt in a large bowl. Using two knives or a pastry blender cut the butter into the salt and flour, being careful not to overwork it.

Place the yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl and add 1/4 cup warm water. Then add the flour-butter mixture, incorporating it with one hand only and using the remaining water to create a stiff, sticky dough.

Turn the dough out on a floured boare and work it hard for a good ten minutes. When finally smooth, let rest for a few minutes and shape into a ball.

Place in a well-buttered bowl, turn to coat the surface, cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 1/2 hours.

Punch the dough down and let rise for 3-4 minutes, then knead again vigorously for 3-4 minutes. Shape into a ball and put back into the buttered bowl to rise again, from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Punch the dough down and let rest another 3-4 minutes.

Knead a third time and then shape carefully into a loaf to fit a well-buttered 13-1/2 X 4 X 3 3/4-inch pan.

Let rise until almost doubled in bulk, approximately 1 hour. Butter the inside of the lid, if you are using a Pullman tin, or butter a piece of foil, cover (weight if using foil), and place in a preheated 400F oven.

Turn the heat down immediately to 375F. After 30 minutes turn the tin on one side for 5 minutes and then on the other side for 5 minutes. Set it upright again, and remove the lid (or foil and weights); the bread should have risen to the top of the pan.

Continue to bake until it is a golden brown, about 12-15 minutes more. Turn the loaf out of the pan and put it directly on the rack of the oven to bake for a few minutes longer, until the bread is a beautiful color and sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles. Let it cool thoroughly on a rack before slicing.

Keeps well for several days in the frig, or frozen for 2 months.
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The Best Buttermilk Biscuits:

3 cups self-rising flour

5 Tablespoons Butter Crisco

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425.
Sift flour into a bowl. Mix in Crisco until crumbly. Make a well in center of flour.

Pour in buttermilk, mixing gently with fingers until a soft dough is formed. (There will be extra flour left in bowl.) Coat ball of dough with flour, turn out onto a floured board, and knead ten times. Roll out 1/2 inch thick, cut with 2-inch cutter or glass with floured rim, and place on a greased baking sheet.

(For crusty sides, place 1/2 inch apart; for soft sides, put on sheet with sides touching.) Bake 10 minutes, or until light brown.
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Homemade Hot Pockets:

Dough:
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 to 3 1/4 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar. Let it set for a few minutes until foamy (if you're using fast-rise yeast, you can just add the yeast with the flour and go on).

Then stir in oil, salt, and flour. Knead 5 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll and pat each piece into a circle (about 6-inches across or so).

Top half of each circle with filling of choice, keeping back from edges so it will seal well. Fold the other 1/2 of circle over the filling and pinch sides together or seal with a fork. Poke a couple steam vents and bake for 20 minutes at 375F.

For pizza pockets, fill this with a little pizza sauce, then mushrooms, pepperoni, cheese, etc. Also, try with cream soup, chopped cooked chicken and steamed broccoli and some shredded cheese. Use your leftovers and imagination to create something special!
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Troubleshooting Bread Baking Guide:

Strong yeast odor.
Avoid over-fermentation. Be sure dough is doubled in size (use finger-top test)

Sour taste.
Avoid adding too much salt. Make sure yeast used is fresh.

Odd or uneven shape.
Let dough rest for 10 minutes for easier handling/shaping
Be sure bread pan is correct size for recipe.

Crust cracked on top.
Reduce flour used in kneading and shaping.

Bread collapsed.
Don't let dough continue to rise beyond time called for in recipe
Avoid too high temperature for dough-rising period.

Flat top.
Knead as directed in recipe. Avoid too short kneading
period. Do not allow dough to rise too long before baking.

Wrinkled crust.
Pull dough firmly when shaping.

Soggy crust.
Do not keep bread in pan after baked. Remove promptly; let cool on
wire rack.

Crust separates from bread.
Grease surface and cover dough when rising.

Thick crust.
Do not overbake. Bake at correct oven temperature.
Keep dough 'tacky', not dry.

Tough crust.
Use all-purpose flour or bread flour.

ADDITIONAL BREAD BAKING TIPS:

Troubleshooting Bread Baking:

Although a few of these are on our first list, this is an improved spin on problems, extra reasons and more precise.

Odd Or Uneven Shape.
Was dough rested between rising and shaping? A 10-20 minute rest period will make the dough easier to handle and shape properly.

How was the dough shaped?
Try shaping bread by rolling dough out with a rolling pin and then rolling up by hand to desired shape. Make your own cutter out of a coffee can or food service container. Put your loaves in cake pans.

How long was the dough proofed?
Dough should be given sufficient proof (time between shaping and putting in the oven) and should be tested by the finger test to show adequate rising. Usually 20 minutes for Byzantine loaves.

How much yeast was used?
Too much yeast is harmful to the loaf shape and flavor. Try reducing the amount of yeast.

Was an oven thermometer used?
A low oven temperature or an uneven temperature can lead to a poorly shaped loaf. Use a thermometer when in doubt.

Folds And Creases On Top/Sides Of Loaf?
Was dough rested between rising and shaping?
A 10-20 minute rest period will make dough much easier to handle and shape properly.

Was surface smooth and taut when shaped?
Use a rolling pin, then cut to size with forms made from tin cans or round plastic containers.

Bread Cracked On Side?

How much flour was used? If you are making Russian Prosphora, overly damp dough will cause too much rising and crack the crusts. Try adding flour.

With Byzantine loaves (which rise more because the texture is much more like regular bread), excess flour can lead to a stiff dough that cracks. Try using a little more water. If you follow this recipe, the piercing of the loaf will allow the cracking to occur on the bottom of the loaf, out of sight.

How old is flour and how was it stored?
Flour should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within one year.

What was the oven temperature?
Use an oven thermometer to assure the oven is the correct temperature.

How long did the dough rise?
Test for double in size using the finger-tip test.
Insufficiently risen dough can crack.

Is the bread evenly browned?
The oven may not be heating evenly.

Was the dough covered prior to baking?
The bread will crack if the dough was dried out before baking.

Is the problem break and shred?
Some cracking on the side is appropriate. All bread expands in the oven causing some cracking.

Cracked Top?

How much flour was used?
Excessive flour can lead to a cracked top. Reduce the flour used in kneading and shaping. Try steam baking.

Was the dough correctly mixed and kneaded?
Knead vigorously 15-20 minutes by hand or 2-5 minutes with a dough hook.

Where was the bread cooled?
Do not cool bread too quickly or in a drafty location. If you are having problems with cracks after baking, spread a lightly damp dish towel over the bread after bringing it out of the oven. This will slow down the cooling process and soften the crust.

Free-Form Loaf Flattened/Sagged Too Much?

How long was the dough kneaded?
Dough that was under-kneaded cannot maintain its shape properly. Follow recipe directions for kneading.

How much flour was added?
Free-form loaves require more flour to maintain their shape.

How long was the rising?
Did the dough collapse in the oven?
Dough that has risen too long can collapse in the oven. Finger test to determine when the dough is done rising.

Prosphora loaves generally need 20 minutes of proofing under normal conditions.

Bread Collapsed:
How long did the bread rise?
Bread dough cannot rise indefinitely. Use the finger-tip test to determine when the bread is done rising.

What was the rising temperature of the loaf?
Do not raise the dough at an overly high temperature. 80-85 degrees F is correct for rising.

How much flour was used?
Add flour until the dough is tacky but no longer sticking to hands and work surface.

Use this test:
Push your finger into the doughball. If the dough sticks to the end of the finger but not the sides, it is ready. If it doesn't stick anywhere, it is too dry. If it sticks all over, add flour.

How long was the dough kneaded?
Knead 4-10 minutes by hand, or 2-5 minutes by dough hook depending upon the recipe. Dough should be smooth to the touch.
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Conversions Between Bread Machines & Regular Recipes

REGULAR RECIPE TO MACHINE:

The first step is to find some recipes that have been successful with your bread machine, and examine them. How many cups of flour are in them? How much liquid? Then, adjust the ingredient amounts, being careful not to exceed your machine's capacity.

Consider that most manual bread recipes make two loaves and can be divided in half to make a recipe that is roughly the right size for a bread machine.

For example, a manual bread recipe that makes two 9x5-inch loaves may be divided in half to make a 1 1/2-pound bread machine loaf.
You may also size your recipe by the following formulas:

1-pound loaf takes about 7/8 cup liquid and 2 3/4 cups flour.

1.5-pound loaf takes about 1 cup liquid and 3 cups flour.

2-pound loaf takes about 1 1/3 cup liquid and 4 cups flour.

Once you have started to mix your dough, check to see if it needs any additional liquid or flour. The dough should be slightly sticky but not wet.

MACHINE TO REGULAR RECIPE:

Go ahead and use the bread machine recipe to make a loaf by hand. Just be sure to keep a comparable non-machine recipe close by, and refer to it for basic instructions.

If you don't have a comparable non-machine recipe to refer to, you may want to refer to these basic steps to making most yeast breads:

Proof the yeast (dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in warm water).

Combine the ingredients and mix well.

Knead the dough until smooth and soft.

Rise until doubled.

Punch down, and shape.

Place bread in a greased loaf pan, or on a baking sheet for a round loaf.

Rise again until nearly doubled.

Bake. Most bread is baked in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bottom of a loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

As you work with the dough, be sure to pay close attention to its consistency, and adjust the recipe as needed, adding small amounts of flour or liquid at a time.

BETWEEN MACHINES:

To help you convert one bread machine recipe to work with your machine, use link below....

There is also a link for Table of Ingredients (on the link pg. below) which has good info to read re: not overloading your machine.

http://allrecipes.com/cb/ref/bread/mach/default.asp

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