How to Make Homemade Bread

Learning how to make homemade bread can be rather intimidating but it is fresher, healthier and has less added ingredients because you are in charge and know exactly what is going in your dough. If you don't want to make your own bread it is still beneficial to learn how because it will help learn the process of making things like breadsticks, dinner rolls or crescent rolls that go well with meals. With a little bread baking knowledge you can even create things like homemade bagels, English muffins, bread bowls for soup or center dinner around bread like stromboli or stuffed chicken rolls. This online cooking lesson will teach you all these things.

Step 1-How to make homemade bread- Proofing Yeast

When using yeast, some people throw all ingredients in and mix their dough. This method assumes that your yeast will react and do its job while mixed in the dough.
I'm one of those old fashioned cooks, in that I like to proof my yeast. I like to see it getting foamy and bubbly before I add it to the rest of my ingredients. Perhaps it is more the fun and delight of seeing this work then making sure the yeast is still good. Here is how you proof your yeast.

Warm your water to about 110 degrees or until feels warm to the touch. You don't want it hot or cold. Warm water helps the yeast activate. Dissolve 1 Teaspoon sugar in the water, this helps feeds the yeast.  Add the yeast to the warm water and sugar mixture. Set aside and start your bread recipe. Yeast will start to froth or foam.

Step 2-How to make homemade bread- Making Bread Dough

White Bread Dough Recipe
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 -1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening or canola oil
5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

In a glass measuring cup add yeast and warm water. Sprinkle top with a pinch of sugar. This helps “feed” the yeast. Set aside. In mixing bowl, add warm milk, sugar, salt, eggs and shortening. Blend together. Add in 2 cups flour and continue to blend. Pour in yeast mixture and add remaining flour. Mix together until dough forms into a ball. Knead several minutes on a floured counter.


 

Place dough in an oiled, large bowl and cover with a clean towel. Place in a warm spot. Let rest 30 minutes- 1 hour. Shape into 2 loaves or rolls and allow to rise 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned.

Wheat Bread Dough Recipe

Dissolve the following in a measuring cup:
1 Tablespoon Yeast
1/4 Cup water
pinch of sugar
Set aside. Meanwhile in mixing bowl mix together:
2 Cups warm water
1/4 Cup oil
1 Tablespoon salt
1/3 Cup honey or brown sugar
1 Cups white flour
Blend together until smooth. Add in yeast to mixer. Add 3-4 Cups whole wheat flour to mixture. Blend together.
When dough forms a ball take out and knead several minutes. Place a tablespoon of oil in a large bowl and place bread dough in bowl. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot. Rise until doubles and separate in half. Form into loaves or rolls. Let rise for 20-30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, less if making rolls or breadsticks.

How to make homemade bread for shaping rolls

There is a lot of fun ways you can shape bread dough into rolls. Here are a few ideas.

1. Cloverleaf rolls-3 small balls together in a muffin tin.
   
   



2. Fan tans- Roll dough into a rectangle cut into strips 1-2 inches wide. Stack strips and place in muffin tin, cut end up.
   
   



3. Snail roll- roll into a rope, coil rope into a spiral and tuck end underneath.
   
   



4. Bow ties- roll piece of dough into rope. Tie rope into a knot and pull the ends through.



5. Soft Pretzels-roll piece of dough into rope. Loop ends up and make an X at the top. Bring ends down in the shape of a pretzel.
   
   
   

What to make with your bread dough

Now that you know how to make homemade bread, what can you do with it?  You can bake dinner, lunches and breakfast using bread dough!
Pizza Stromboli
Ham and Cheese Stromboli
Stuffed Hamburger Rolls
Chicken Rolls- substitute homemade bread dough with crescent dough
Pizza Braid
Bread bowls for soup-bake rolls and cut off top. Hollow out roll and save extra bread for bread crumbs.
Indian Fry Bread Tacos
Cinnamon Rolls
Monkey Bread




~You can do so much with bread dough that it is worth having some handy in your freezer. Now that you learned how to make homemade bread, learn how to freeze bread dough.

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Related Basic Cooking Lesson Pages:
~ Basic Cooking Lessons, ~ Stock and soups, ~ 5 mother sauces, ~ Yeast and baking breads, ~ Herbs and spices, ~ Vegetables, ~ Dry beans, ~ Grains, ~ Eggs, ~ Different cooking methods, ~ Growing an herb garden, ~ How to cook Q&A forum

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