Try this Easy Yeast Bread recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups warm water at 110 degrees (if you don't have a the put your pinkie if you can't keep your pinkie finger in the water then it is too hot and will kill your yeast)
- 11/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons softened butter
- Carbohydrate 539.01888667041 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.00795333478067 g
- Fiber 2.95335416699147 g
- Protein 5.24243125001363 g
- Saturated Fat 0.549938333533182 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (553g)
- Sodium 7.402583333544 mg
- Sugar 536.065532503419 g
- Trans Fat 0.285363333372528 g
- Calories 2135 calories
Step-by-step
- Sprinkle the Yeast over the water.
- Stir in the honey and place in a warm area AWAY from draught for 5-10 minutes until the yeast blooms.
- Meanwhile, place the flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the salt.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and mix well with your hands.
- Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Drizzle the olive oil in the bowl and make sure the dough is covered.
- Cover with a slightly damp towel and place in a warm area. Again this should be AWAY from draught. Leave until dough is doubled in size or about 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a small pan filled half-way with water in the oven to produce steam. This will help the dough rise up while baking.
- Push the air out of the dough and shape into a loaf.
- Place in to a clay baker or on a baking sheet and cover with the damp towel.
- After 15 minutes, place the dough into the oven and bake 20 -25 minutes or until golden.
- Spread the butter over the top and sides of the bread and allow to cool slightly.
- After about 10 minutes remove from the pan and cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled. (Warning: You may not be able to wait that long! If that is the case, eat warm with some butter slathered on the bread.)
Adding boiling water directly to dry yeast will kill the single-celled fungi instantly, rendering the leavening agent completely inactive before fermentation can even begin. Keeping the hydration liquid strictly at 110 degrees Fahrenheit ensures cellular survival while still waking the dormant organisms. Maximizing every loaf means planning for storage long before the flour hits the mixing bowl.
- Slice the completely cooled loaf into individual portions and freeze them flat in heavy-duty freezer bags for up to three months to prevent dry, unpalatable staleness.
- Reheat frozen slices directly in a toaster or a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for five minutes to restore a crisp crust without thawing the entire loaf at once.
- Pair slices with high-fat items like salted butter or cured meats because the lipids coat the palate and balance the dense carbohydrate structure of homemade loaves.
- Stir table salt thoroughly into the dry flour before adding liquids to prevent direct contact with the yeast, which can otherwise retard the rise by dehydrating the microbial cell walls.
Storing baked bread in the refrigerator accelerates starch retrogradation, causing the crumb to stale significantly faster than keeping it wrapped tightly at room temperature. Proper freezing and targeted reheating preserve both the structural integrity and the fresh texture of the loaf across multiple weeks.
