back to basics

Few things are as comforting as the scent of bread baking in the oven. Many people are intimidated by the idea of making bread, especially yeast breads, but there are foolproof methods to help you out. The kneading process will be easier if you have a stand mixer, but it’s not necessary. If you’re looking for an added benefit of a little stress relief, do knead your bread by hand; you may be surprised as to how therapeutic it can be.

For a basic sandwich bread, you will need the following:

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)

1 package dry yeast

1 tsp honey

6 oz warm milk (110 degrees)

3 T unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 T honey

1 large egg yolk

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ¼ tsp salt

1. Combine the warm water, yeast, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl if making by hand). Allow to sit for five minutes for the yeast to proof; it will foam and give off a “yeasty” scent.
2. Add the butter, milk, and remaining honey, mix on low or by hand to blend. Add the egg yolk and 1 cup of the flour. Mix on low speed or by hand for a minute, add the salt and another cup of flour. Continue to mix (or knead by hand) and gradually add remaining flour as needed (depending on the humidity of the air, more or less than the total 3 cups may be needed. If using a stand mixer, let it knead the dough until the dough is mostly clear of the sides and may stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl, about 7 or 8 minutes total. If kneading by hand, work until it forms a smooth ball.
3. Lightly oil or butter a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl; roll the dough around until it is completely oiled. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until double in volume, about an hour or two.
4. Grease an 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan. Shape the dough into an 8 inch log and place in the pan. Cover again with the kitchen towel and allow to raise until the dough has doubled in size, about an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Bake dough for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Turn the bread out of the pan and allow to cool completely (this is important; cutting into warm bread will change the texture of the bread). Store in a sealed plastic bag.

This will be so much better than anything you buy at the grocery store!

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