Can you give me a good recipe for bread that you like to make?

Question

I plan to make this from scratch, and do NOT have a bread machine.

I do have the book "Bernard Clayton's book of BREAD", so if you have a suggestion from that, I can look it up.

Please don't cut and paste from the internet unless it is a recipe that you yourself have made and love. I am looking for a basic white or italian type loaf. No grains, nothing fancy.

I would like to keep it easy...I have an 18 month-old to watch while I make the bread.

I am craving some good homemade bread.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Two loaves of bread - crisp of crust and tender of crumb.

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. Crisco
1 c. hot milk
5 to 6 c. enriched flour

Soften yeast in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water for 5 minutes, then stir until blended. Measure sugar, salt and Crisco into mixing bowl, pour hot milk over them and stir, mashing Crisco against sides of bowl until broken into small lumps. Add remaining water and cool to lukewarm. Stir in 1 cup flour. Add yeast and 2 more cups flour and beat with a wooden spoon until batter is smooth and elastic. Stir in 1 1/2 to 2 cups more flour, then, with floured fingers, work in enough additional flour to make a soft dough that does not stock to the fingers.
Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead for 2 minutes, about 100 kneading strokes. Shape dough into a ball and put it in a bowl rubbed with Crisco. Spread surface of dough lightly with Crisco, cover with a towel and let dough rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and turn onto floured board. Cut dough in half and shape each half into a smooth ball. Shape each ball into a loaf and put into bread pan rubbed with Crisco. Cover pans with a towel and let bread rise until the sides of the raised bread reach the top of the pans and the center is nicely rounded above it, about 1 hour.

To bake: Bake loaves at 400 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

When baked: Turn loaves from pans immediately to keep crust crisp, and cool on a cake rack. For a soft, tender crust: Brush loaves with Crisco as soon as they come from oven.
gg--- I did indeed cut and paste this recipe
but it's a good one. And you can also use it to make French and Italian bread by cutting the Sugar and shortening in half and handling the make up some what different.
To make French bread mold the dough in to a longer loaf than you would for pan bread, place loaf on a cookie sheet or a sheet pan sprinkled heavily with corn meal.
When at half proof slash the top 4 or 5 times 1/4 in. deep at an angle and wash with egg wash made with 1 egg and 1/4 cup
water beaten togeather well.
sesme seed or poppy seed can be sprinkled on at this time if desired.Finish the proof. For Italian bread pinch off a piece
of dough about the size of a small walnut
and sit aside. Mould the loaf much like you
would for pan bread with the middle beeing
wider and the ends coming to a peak. Place on a corn meal sprinkled pan like with the French bread roll the walnut size piece of dough into a rope shape the length of the loaf and place it across the top of the loaf seal by pinching to each end of loaf.
Wash with the above egg wash and proof.
The loaf should bloom "a slight tear"on the lower side of the rope while baking. This bread can also be sprinkled with seed if desired. NO NEED to cover entire pan with corn meal just where the loaf will be with a little border around the loaf to allow for expansion. Sorry I could'nt give you one of my personal recipes but the smallest one calls for 50 lb. of flour But I have used this one and am satified with it. jim b

Answer 2

A long time ago I ate in a restaurant that served soup with a mini loaf of bread (about equal to two biscuits). I loved it so much that I've made the recipe as mini loaves ever since. My son is now grown with 2 children of his own and he still loves those mini loaves - as does his family. He uses them to make a turkey sandwich Thanksgiving evening. Here's the recipe:

REFRIGERATOR ROLLS

1 c warm water
1 pkg yeast
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt (I use a dash)
3 1/4 - 3 1/2 c flour
1 egg
2 T butter - melted

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt and half the flour. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg, butter and most of the remaining flour. Knead, adding more flour if it sticks to your hands and the counter, until smooth and elastic. Spray a bowl, place the rounded ball of dough in the bowl and turn over to coat all sides. Cover with saran and place in a warm place to rise (I generally turn the oven on to 400º for exactly 1 minute and turn it off - then place the dough in the oven and close the door). Let rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hrs until doubled. Punch down, tear off a piece, roll out to get the air bubbles out of it, roll it up, and place in one of those small mini-loaf pans that has been sprayed. Do the same with the rest of the batter. Cover again with saran and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake in a 400º oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden on top and sound hollow when tapped. Sometimes I cook these on a sprayed sheetcake pan, shaping them as I would for the mini-pans but just put them close to each other without touching. They will touch as they cook.

Answer 3

You're going to love this one and make it over and over again. I do!

White Batter Bread

1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 1/2 cups milk, warmed
3 tablespoons (about 1/3 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and butter in a large bowl, stir, and let stand for a minute or so. Add the salt, sugar, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat vigorously for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining flour and beat well. Pour or scoop the batter into a greased loaf pan and smooth the top with wet fingers. With a sharp knife, make a slash down the center, lengthwise. Cover lightly with a kitchen towel and let rise to the top of the pan, about 30 to 45 minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for a bout 45 minutes. Turn out onto a rack to cool. Let cool completely, it'll be easier to slice if you do. Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 4

FOCACCIA

2 packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water (105-115oF)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle on the bread
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4-5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Coarse salt

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1 cup lukewarm water in a bowl and let sit until foamy. In another bowl, add the remaining 3/4 cup water, the olive oil, and the salt. Pour in the yeast mixture. Blend in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until t he dough comes together. Knead on a floured board for 10 minutes, adding flour as needed to make it smooth and elastic. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat well, and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm draft-free place for 1 hour, until doubled.

Punch down the dough, knead it for about 5 minutes, and gently roll it out to fit a jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches. Let rise for 15 minutes, covered. Oil your fingers and make impressions with them in the dough, 1 inch apart. Let rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle with additional oil if desired. Cut into squares and serve warm.

CORNBREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk

PREPARATION:
Combine dry ingredients; add beaten egg and buttermilk, mixing well. Pour into greased, heated 8-inch or 9-inch iron skillet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Buttermilk cornbread serves 8.

Answer 5

I have made the Italian Olive Bread from that book - it off the beaten path of just plain bread, also there is a really nice wheat bread recipe it that book.