Stupidly Easy Bread

[Luckylies]

I'd really like to start making bread. But really only easy bread. I don't mind yeasted bread, but too many confusing steps in order for the bread just to turn out "okay" is not my dream. I just want to my yum yum yummy bread every friday. Yep, every friday a new bread. I promise I'll learn to post pictures if you'll share your best tasty bread recipes. thanks. I'll work up to Bread Bakers Apprentice soemtime.

[UnConundrum]

Emma,

Not sure what you're saying. Are you looking for some help baking bread? If so, I've posted a recipe with step by step pictures <a href="http://www.recipesonrails.com/recipes/show/436">HERE</a>. The recipe is actually for a baguette, but I used the same dough and shaped it into a boule (round ball). Also, this recipe was adapted for baking in a BGE (Big Green Egg), but you can follow the same recipe and bake in a pre-heated oven. It would be best if you have a baker's stone or pizza stone to bake on.

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<img src="http://www.recipesonrails.com/recipes/photo/436-baguette-no-knead-larger-loaf.png?1155494480">

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[srhcb]

My English Muffin Bread is pretty simple and straightforward.

SB (and makes killer toast!)

[honorspianist]

bread baking really isn't so difficult once you get the hang of it. it can be such a fun and rewarding process. a really simple bread recipe is alton brown's from the fn website. i've made it a couple of times. it has only flour, water, yeast, and salt, and produces a very fine product.

whatever recipe you do choose to bake, please respons with the outcome.

-honorspianist

ps

unconundrum, that really is a lovely boule--beautiful color and blistering. may i ask what (if anything) you use to glaze the bread?

Edited September 26, 2006 by honorspianist (log)

[Luckylies]

  UnConundrum said:

Emma,

Not sure what you're saying.  Are you looking for some help baking bread? 

yep. I want to bake bread. I have an 8 hour work day. Within that work day I'd like to produce bread. It can't bee too terribly time consuming or difficult as I must do it in conjunction with my schedule, but a little challenge never killed anyone. I work in a teat kitchen so we have well calibrated ovens etc.

ps nice boules

[Luckylies]

  srhcb said:

My English Muffin Bread is pretty simple and straightforward.

SB (and makes killer toast!)

←

Thanks Steve! I'll try this one too!!!

[McDuff]

try the Cuban bread recipe available at King Arthur flour website. I've been making it a couple of times a week for the kid's lunches.

[prasantrin]

(bolding is mine)

  Luckylies said:

I work in a teat kitchen so we have well calibrated ovens etc. 

←

Do I really want to know?????

[rooftop1000]

Emma

Try everything the worst loaf of bread I have ever made was still tasty and they always make great toast.

And toast is wonderful.

tracey

[MelissaH]

  Luckylies said:

  UnConundrum said:

Emma,

Not sure what you're saying.  Are you looking for some help baking bread? 

yep. I want to bake bread. I have an 8 hour work day. Within that work day I'd like to produce bread. It can't bee too terribly time consuming or difficult as I must do it in conjunction with my schedule, but a little challenge never killed anyone. I work in a teat kitchen so we have well calibrated ovens etc.

ps nice boules

←

Don't overlook the possibilities of overnight work. You could set up a starter last thing of the day just before you go home, let it do its thing overnight, and then come in a smidge early the next morning to finish the dough, let it rise till lunch, then shape and proof, and bake last thing in the day. Or you could time things so that you do your last rise overnight, low temperature, and then bake in the morning. Breadmaking does take time, but very little of the time is active on your part, and you can even juggle the times somewhat by watching your temperatures and the amount of yeast you use.

MelissaH

[Nina C.]

The first loaf of bread I made was in Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking. The chapter is called "Bread Baking without Agony" and it's a pretty foolproof loaf. I was very happy with it. I've since made bread that I think was tastier, but not as easy.

[Nina C.]

Also, I've heard that Julia Child's french bread recipe in MtAoFC is a good one to start out with because it is so thoroughly tested and explained.

[Luckylies]

yeah, I said it a teat kitchen.... just kidding, I work in a test kitchen aka a taste kitchen due to the amount of food we eat in a day.

  prasantrin said:

(bolding is mine)

  Luckylies said:

I work in a teat kitchen so we have well calibrated ovens etc. 

←

Do I really want to know?????

←

[lcdm]

The King Arthur site has a ton of recipes:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cat...xpand=C1&id=C23

White Bread 101 is pretty basic. The Challah is pretty easy too.

[CaliPoutine]

  Nina C. said:

The first loaf of bread I made was in Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking. The chapter is called "Bread Baking without Agony" and it's a pretty foolproof loaf. I was very happy with it. I've since made bread that I think was tastier, but not as easy.

←

I was going to suggest this as well, but you beat me to it. I've made this and I agree. Its an acceptible bread and very easy.

[Rebecca263]

  rooftop1000 said:

Emma

Try everything the worst loaf of bread I have ever made was still tasty and they always make great toast.

And toast is wonderful.

tracey

←

What she said. Bread crumbs and bread pudding, too.

[duckduck]

The easiest bread I have done so far is the Pane Rustico from Suzanne Dunaway's No Need To Knead. I find I can do the starter before I go to work and finish it up when I get home from work. I can do this one no matter how tired I am at the end of the work day. It's my fave daily bread right now.

[Kim Shook]

I can vouch for this recipe. It is delicious and easy.

Here are pictures:

[mizducky]

I taught myself how to make yeast bread many moons ago out of the original "Vegetarian Epicure." I just found Anna Thomas' introduction and attitude so cheerful and encouraging--she sounded so into the sheer fun of playing around with the dough and the yeast-beasties that the intimidation factor was practically nil.

[Mallet]

I really like The Bread Bible. Here's a very basic recipe (not from the bread bible) using active dry yeast.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (70-90 F)

1 envelope yeast

1 tablespoons sugar

6 cups flour

2.5 tsp salt

2 cups warm water

1 tbsp lard (optional)

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with the sugar. Let sit 10min.

Sift flour in large bowl and mix in the salt, make a well in the flour and add the 2 cups water and the lard. Stir until the lard softens/melts.

Add the yeast/water mixture and gradually mix in the flour, until the dough comes together. Knead dough ~10min on a floured surface, adding as little flour as possible to keep it from sticking

Put dough in a lightly greased bowl, lightly grease/oil the top and let double in volume (about 1-1.5 hours)

2. Punch dough and divide into 2 pieces. Knead for a minute or so, and form into a bread (shape: your choice), cover with a damp towel or oiled plastic wrap and let double (again, about an hour)

3. Bake in 375F oven, about 1 hour.

If you want, you can do any of the rises overnight. For example after you mix the dough and cover it, you can stick it in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for an hour before proceeding or baking.

[andiesenji]

  duckduck said:

The easiest bread I have done so far is the Pane Rustico from Suzanne Dunaway's No Need To Knead. I find I can do the starter before I go to work and finish it up when I get home from work.  I can do this one no matter how tired I am at the end of the work day. It's my fave daily bread right now.

←

I have also had success with several of the recipes in this book. I use a wood dough bowl for mixing and use the plastic (actually mine is nylon) scraper that is flat on one side and rounded on the other.

I have to admit that I am also not above using a box mix from time to time. I took a bread machine to my office for our potluck days - cold weather stuff - and the mixes that need only water work very well.

They are also pretty much foolproof for the beginning baker to get the "feel" of yeast dough. Several people I have taught, began with these easy mixes and have gone on to exceptionally complex breads.

I am a big fan of the bread machine for working and rising the dough when I am making a single large loaf or two small ones. I don't bake the loaf in the machine, I prefer to shape and bake the dough myself.

I bought a box of the Hawaiian Royal Sweet Bread Machine Mix at Albertson's market last weekend. This "Classic Hearth" bread mix from Continental Mills (also markets Krusteaz and Eagle Mills) is as good as I can make from scratch, and I have tried several recipes.

Edited September 27, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[honorspianist]

  Quote

I really like The Bread Bible. Here's a very basic recipe (not from the bread bible) using active dry yeast.

i too love the bread bible. i adore rlb, and have never had any of her recipes fail on me. the recipes in the bread bible, however, are definitely not for those looking for simple bread recipes.