Sharing My Bread Recipe

I have had several friends as this Stay at Home During the Virus thing is happening ask me how to make bread.  I have made my own bread for years, but now that stores are running out of it and people are trying to figure out what to do I am glad to share my bread recipe.


The recipe:

1 1/4 cups water, filtered
3 1/3 Cups Bread Flour.  Now I make my own flour with wheat berries and a grinder, however since most people don’t have these I recommend Bob’s Red Mill unbleached Bread Flour.
2 tablespoons Organic Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast, Not rapid rise

I did this is with a KitchenAid mixer since most people asking me for this recipe have one.  If you do not have one you can do this with a big mixing bowl, it just takes longer to mix.

The first thing is to put the ingredients in order.  The water on the bottom, flour next, and so on, layering them.  Once all your ingredients on it then put the dough hook on the mixer and put it on low.  Low, or the ingredients will blow up in your face.  Let it run for a while.  The ingredients with incorporate and it will then become dough.

One you have dough, take it out on a lightly floured surface and work the dough.  I take the front and roll it over the top and gently press it forward and keep that same motion for a few minutes.  Once the dough is ready put it in a large bowl that has been lightly oiled on the sides with olive oil, to prevent it from totally sticking.  Cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise.  I like to put it under the stove light so the heat helps this process.  It will take about an hour to rise.

Once it rises, I take it out and on that lightly floured surface again I work the dough a second time.  This time I form it into a ball and split it in two.  I like to make two loaves, but you can keep this together to form one large loaf, it just wont fit in a bread pan unless you split it. ( So if you decide to make one just shape it like a French loaf and you can bake it that way on a parchment lined baking sheet. ) One you have split the loaves put them into the bread pans and cover them with a towel again for the second rise.  Once the have risen again it's time to bake.

Bake them in the oven at 400* for 20 mins.

Once the cool off, cut and enjoy!!!

Hopefully this will help until this is all over and people aren't fighting to find bread.  Or maybe you will enjoy making it smooch you won't ever buy store-bought again!!!