It is really heartbreaking to me that all the new visitors will not be able to see comments, tips, and feedback from the original post but it is what it is.
Honestly, I felt hopeless! It was like watching my own reality show. I did not actually know what I did wrong!
I was waiting for two freaking hours for nothing! Well… I gotta tell ya, I learned my lesson!!! And that was my first time “trying” to make a loaf of bread!
I just wanted to show how easy bread could be made this way. The dough is not as hard to mix, so I do not see a point using any other equipment, but if you really can’t, please, be my guest and use whatever will make your life easier.
The bottom line is, my family and I love, love bread. It is a staple of our house, and whether I make flatbread, Irish soda bread or whole-wheat, the bread is eaten almost in one day. So here is my recipe that you will love.
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 cups All-Purpose Flour approx. 600g, flour without sodium; for cakes, cookies, etc., works well.
- 2 teaspoons Table Salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder optional
- 1 envelope Active Dry Yeast 7 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups Lukewarm Water
- 2 tablespoons Oil + for greasing the pan
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix!
- Add sugar and dry yeast in a cup and add a bit of warm (to touch) water. Mix it to combine then let the yeast activate, before adding to the flour mixture. (You can add it directly to the flour mixture just by making a well in the middle, add sugar and yeast and a splash of warm water then wait about 3-4 minutes before mixing it and adding more water.) This step is whatever feels right to you.
- Add more warm water as needed. Add the water slowly so your bread dough wouldn’t turn into the pancake mixture. (1/2-1 cup at the time until you reach the thickness and so the wooden spoon can go through easier it does take some good beating). It all depends on what type of flour you have, how old it is, the air & humidity, etc. So if I say 2 cups of warm water, it might be less, so please add water slowly until you reach soft and sticky texture, but not looking like pancake batter.
- Take a few strokes with a wooden spoon just to combine everything, add oil, mix again and cover the dough.
- Let it rest and rise for 60 minutes in total. I mix it after 30 minutes with a wooden spoon and let it rest for the next 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
- Grease your baking pan and put the dough in.
- Again, let it rise in the baking pan for the next 10 minutes or until it’s almost up to the edges of the pan and place in the preheated oven, even if it’s not all the way to the edges it will rise more in the oven.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown.
- Allow it to COOL DOWN at least for 40 minutes before slicing the bread.
NOTES:
You can bake in any pan that you have a circular, rectangular, or square pan. I find it the best if it’s non-stick baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown. This is no kneaded bread; I just use a wooden spoon to combine and mix the dough.
I usually put 2-3 teaspoons of salt, but you can add 1.5-2 teaspoons if you don’t want too savory. We have different flour brands, and of course taste buds. The dough should be just a bit thinner than if you would make pizza dough.
Also, if you decide to knead just add less water, and I would suggest adding maybe 1 Tbsp. of oil; dust the working surface with the flour and knead until you make a ball and oil it before covering to raise. Once it’s risen, knead again and place in the greased baking pan to rise one more time before baking it.
IF FLOUR HAS SODIUM PLEASE ADD ONLY 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The outcome will not be the same, but still delicious. I work with only all-purpose; no sodium, bleached or unbleached white flour, or whole wheat flour.
I tried many different brands of flour, but I always stick to the one that I found the best which is Canadian brand- 5 Roses 44LB. If you have a chance to get it trust me, you will not regret because the bread or anything baked comes out amazing. For Five Roses Flour, All Purpose, 5.5lb. If you like any other brands, please let me know what you are using. I would love to try it too.
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