Bread

Wonder what type of bread to make for your meal?

This bread post contains multiple bread recipes to help you get the perfect bread for each meal!

 

Bread has got to be the greatest creation ever! It’s comforting, delicious, chewy, full of flavor, versatile, kids love it, adults love it, and there is a version of it that can be added to each and every meal!  Let’s look at a few recipes that you can pick from to add to each of your meals.

A KitchenAid Mixer helps to cut down the amount of time you spend making these recipes. If you don’t already have one, I do recommend them. They’re awesome machines to have!

Sourdough bread:

Ingredients:

• 1/2C sourdough starter
• 1C warm water
• 1tsp salt
• 2-3C flour

Steps:

1. Add 2 cups of flour to a Kitchenaid or stand mixer.

2. Add salt and mix into flour.

3. Add sourdough starter and water, and mix on low. Add extra flour, as needed, until you reach the desired consistency. You want the dough to be slightly tacky, but not stick to your finger.

4. Knead in machine for 5 minutes.

5. Spray loaf pan with oil spray.

6. Flour surface, then pour dough out of mixing bowl. Knead/shape dough into loaf form and place dough in loaf pan.

7. Place load pan(with shaped dough in it) in the oven, and let rise 6-8 hours.

8. When dough has doubled in size, preheat oven to 350 degrees and set the timer for 42 minutes. This time covers the preheating time as well as the bake time.

9. Pull loaf pan from over, butter top of loaf with a basting brush, then let rest 15 minutes.

10. Remove from pan and let rest on cooking rack.

11. Enjoy!

 

Sandwich bread:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast
• 1/8 cup honey
• 1/8 cup oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Steps:

Combine the water, honey, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let rest 10 minutes, to bloom.

When yeast is ready, add salt and oil to yeast mixture, give it a good stir.

Add 5 cups of flour to yeast mixture. Add more flour as needed. You don’t want the dough to stick to your finger when pressed.

Continue to knead 5-7 minutes, them cover and let rest about an hour(or until doubled in size).

Shape dough into loaves and place in two loaf pans sprayed with oil. Let rest another 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled.

Place loaves in the oven.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees(yes, loaves are in the oven at this point). Immediately set a timer for 45 minutes.

When bread is finished, baste tops with butter, and let rest in the pans 15 minutes before removing from pans and allowing to cool on cooling racks.

I use this recipe for a variety of my bread recipes.

Variations:

Pizza:

Use the same recipe listed above, but add 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp dried basil, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan when you add the oil and salt.

Once mixed, let rest to double in size, then spread onto greased pizza pans or baking sheets.

Preheat oven to 400.

Bake for 12 minutes before adding toppings.

Add toppings, and bake 12 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Breadsticks:

Use Sandwich Bread recipe listed above, adding 1tsp garlic and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese when adding oil and salt.

Allow to rest, doubling in size.

Place dough on floured surface, dust a rolling pin with flour, and roll dough out to about 3/4″ thickness. Baste with softened or melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder or garlic salt.

Using a pizza cutter, cut dough down the center, lengthwise, then widthwise cut 1″ strips.

Place on baking sheets with parchment paper on them, then let them rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Dinner Rolls:

Use Sandwich Bread recipe listed above. Don’t add any other ingredients.

Once dough rises, shape into 12 rolls.

Let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 for 12-14 minutes.

 

Garlic Naan Bread:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tsp honey
• 3/4 tsp yeast
• 1 cup yogurt
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter + 1/2 tsp garlic powder(for basting)

Instructions:

Add warm water, honey, and yeast to a liquid measuring cup. Allow to rest 10 minutes.

While waiting for the yeast to bloom, combine flour, salt, garlic powder, grated parmesan, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium/large mixing bowl. Whisk together well.

In a small saucepan, warm milk on the stove.

When yeast is ready, add minced garlic, yogurt, and warmed milk to yeast mixture, stirring well with a spoon.

Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture, and mix well.

Knead for 5 minutes, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 1 hour.

Cut dough into 8 large pieces, 16 medium pieces, or 32 small pieces.(You decide what size you want. My kids like the small pieces.)

On a floured surface, roll dough out till about 1/4″ thick.

Melt butter and mix garlic powder into it. Have a basting brush ready.

Heat a skillet over med/high heat, cook on first side until it starts to create air bubbles(1-2 minutes), flip and cook another minute or so.

Baste both sides of each piece with the garlic butter.

Enjoy!

Notes:

If I’m ever in a hurry, which does happen, I will make the dough into breadsticks, instead. Roll dough out to about 1/2″ thickness, cut 1″ thick strips to your desired length, and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.

This Garlic Naan Bread is great served with my Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala.

 

French Bread:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 TBSP yeast
• 2 TBSP honey
• 1 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP oil
• 5-6 cups flour
• 1 TSP cornmeal(opt.)
• 1 egg

Steps:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the water. Let rise until foamy.

Add salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour, and mix until smooth. Add more flour as needed, in half cup increments, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn’t stick to your finger when tapped lightly.

Let dough rest 10 minutes, then stir down. Repeat 4 more times, letting rise between intervals.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Divide dough in half, then roll out into a rectangle approximately 8″x14″.

Start at the long side, and roll the dough up.

Place the seam side down, two loaves on one sheet.

Cut 3 or 4 slashes on top.

Let rise 30 minutes, then baste with egg wash.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tap the loaves, if they sound hollow, they’re done.

Enjoy!

This bread is great as garlic bread and served with my Tomato Basil Soup!

 

Baguettes:

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cups warm water

Steps:

In a stand mixer, using a dough hook, combine flour, salt, and yeast.

Slowly add water while mixing on low.

Knead on low for 7 minutes.

Divide dough into two, and roll to form long sticks.

Place sticks on greased baguette pan and cover to rise for 1 hour.

Slash tops of baguettes and spray with water.

Place a skillet or metal casserole pan in the over and preheat the oven to 430 degrees.

When dough has risen, place in the oven, then fill the skillet/casserole pan with ice. This helps to create steam in the oven, which will give the baguettes their wonderful texture.

Spray baguettes with water again before closing the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, spraying again after half the time.

Enjoy!

 

Flatbread:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tbsp melted butter
• 3/4 cup almond milk

Steps:

Place butter and milk in a saucepan, and heat on low until butter is melted.

Combine flour, salt, milk, and butter together.

Knead for 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 16 pieces.

Roll out VERY thin, about 1/16″.

Cook on the stovetop, in a frying pan over medium heat, until lightly browned on both sides(approx. 1 minutes per side).

Enjoy!