Anyone have a good simple recipe for making bread..white bread or wheat..no machine...?

Question

I only make bread by hand but have not done so in about 25 yrs. Need recipe..

Answer 1

I've been baking my own for years now - I'll give you a very basic one.

450 g bread (strong) flour
15 g yeast
pinch of sugar
225 g lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
fresh rosemary or sage or ... whatever you have at home

put the yeast and a pinch of sugar in a cup, then pour the lukewarm water, stir with a knife or a spatula and then add the oil. Leave it to dissolve, forming some foam on top.

Sieve the flour into a bowl, then make a well in the middle and pour the yeast-water mix, mix very well, then add about half tablespoon of salt. It is v. important that the salt doesn't mix directly with the yeast or it will prevent the dough from rising.

Knead your dough for at least 15 minutes (you can use a food processor), then leave it to rest for at least 1 hour. You need to cover your dough with a sheet of oily cling film.

Knead again - the dough should become elastic and soft - then season a plum cake tin, put the dough, add your herbs on top and leave to rise again. Bake at about 200 C - fan function, at the highest section of your oven, for about 30 mins. Some people like to brush the dough with some more olive oil on top before baking it.

Answer 2

Traditional Irish Brown Bread

4 cups coarse ground whole-wheat flour
4 cups white flour
3 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
3-4 cups low-fat cultured buttermilk

Preheat oven to 475F.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center and add some buttermilk.
Work the mixture with your hand until the dough is soft and not too sticky.
On a floured surface, knead into a circular shape about three inches thick.
Bake for 20 minutes and then turn oven down to 400F; bake for another 20 minutes.
Bread should sound hollow when you tap on it when fully cooked.

Answer 3

No machine, no kneading!

Batter White Bread

1 package dry yeast
1 ½ c. warm water
2 tbsp Crisco shortening
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. Sugar
3 c. all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix Crisco, sugar, salt and 1 ½ c. flour in a large bowl. Add yeast, stirring constantly.
Beat vigorously as you add the rest of the flour.
Cover with cloth and let double in bulk in a warm, but not hot place.
Do not punch but stir down. Spoon batter into 10 inch loaf pan and pat with floured hand to shape.
Let rise, covered, another 30 minutes. Bake 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Cool slightly and remove from pan. Loaf should have a ‘hollow’ sound when thumped on the bottom. Place loaf on rack and brush top with melted butter.

Answer 4

White bread

Combine a 7gm sachet of dried yeast with half a cup of warm water in a small bowl: stir in 1 teaspoon of caster sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface.

Sift 4 cups of unbleached plain flower, add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons dried wholemilk powder and 1 tablespoon caster sugar into a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre, add yeast, quarter cup cooking oil and 1 cup warm water.

Using hands or large spoon, mix to a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface, Knead ten minutes or until smooth and elastic. If needed incorporate up to half cup extra flour until dough is not sticky.

Place in large lightly oiled bowl. Leave, covered with a teatowel in a warm place for 1 hour or until well risen. Punch dough down, and knead for 1 minute.

Divide and shape into loaves or rolls. Leave covered with plastic wrap for 45 minutes or until well risen. Place in a tin which has been lightly oiled with butter or oil. Or mould into free-form shapes and place on a greased baking tray.

Bake in tins in a 210 degree C (Gas 190 c) oven for 10 minutes, lower heat to 180 c - bake an extra 30-40 minutes.

Bake free form loaves in a 210 c oven for 10 minutes - lower heat to180c and cook for 20-30 minutes. Cooking times will depend on size of loaves or rolls. To test for doneness, tap bottom of bread with knuckles. A hollow sound indicates bread is done.
Note. Dough is enough for 1 large, 2 medium or 3 small loaves, or 16-24 rolls.
If wholemeal bread is prefered replace the 2 cups of white flour with 2 cups of wholemeal flour.