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.
To make a basic sandwich bread with a stand mixer, you will need the following:
8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan
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 1/4 tsp salt
1. Combine the warm water, yeast, and honey in a large mixing bowl. Allow it to sit for five minutes. This process is called "proofing" the yeast: if it foams up, it means the yeast is working. On the other hand, if it does not foam up, the yeast is bad, and you'll want to toss it and start over. This is an easy way to know going in whether or not your bread will turn out.
2. Add the butter, milk, and remaining honey, mix on low with a dough hook. Add the egg yolk, salt and 2 cups of the flour. Continue to mix and gradually add the remaining flour as needed. Mix the dough until it is clear of the sides of the bowl (about 7-8 minutes); it may stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl.
3. Lightly oil 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 two hours.
4. Grease the 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. 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. Store in a sealed plastic bag.
Consider jazzing up your bread by making brioche instead of the usual sandwich bread. The concept is the same, but the result is a richer bread perfect for special occasions or weekend French toast. You will want to use bread flour for this recipe, it really does yield a more tender crust. Here's what you'll need:
1/3 c warm water (about 110 F)
1 package yeast
2 T sugar
6 large eggs (room temperature)
1 tsp orange extract
4 c bread flour, divided
2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)
1 large egg + 1 T water for egg wash
2 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans
1. In a large mixer bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Mix with your fingers and let it sit for 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy.
2. Add six eggs and the orange extract, mix with paddle attachment until well blended. Add two cups of flour, mix on low for about five minutes.
3. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour and salt, mix for about another 5 minutes on low. With the mixer on low, add softened butter 1 T at a time. Switch to a dough hook and mix on low until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 3 minutes total). Refrigerate the dough overnight in large buttered bowl covered in plastic wrap.
4. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature (about 2 hours). On a floured board, divide the dough in half. Roll out each half into a rectangle as wide as your loaf pan is long. Roll the dough into a log, press the seam together to seal, and tuck under the ends if needed to fit the dough into the loaf pan. Place in the pans, seam side down, cover with kitchen towel and allow to rise for 2 hours.
5. Brush each loaf with egg wash. Bake at 350 F for 35-45 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely.
You'll want to store the bread in plastic bags, or even freeze it until you're ready to use it. Brioche freezes wonderfully, allowing you to quickly wow a guest by serving a bread that many bakeries don't even make anymore.