Adams Media - Bread Baking for Beginners: 50 Easy Recipes for Baking Bread

Who wouldve thought staying home could be so tough? The shows have been watched, the books have been read, the chores have even been doneand its only noon. Why not switch it up and do something enjoyable and productive? Its time to bake some bread!

Whether youre a new or an experienced baker, youll find exactly what you knead with these fifty tasty recipes. From Zucchini Bread and Buttermilk Biscuits to Beignets and Old-Fashioned Popovers, theres something to satisfy whatever it is youre craving, especially if that something is something to do. With all its measuring and mixing and working the dough, the art of bread baking will keep you entertained (and sane!) while staying at home.

And lets not forget the best part: plenty of homemade bread! Loaves and loaves of whole wheat, honey white, sourdough, and rye plus crunchy baguettes, schmear-worthy bagels, perfectly fluffy Parker House Rolls, and so much more. Nows the time to get baking!

Youll be delighted with this easy, delicious version of the classic loaf. Use it for appetizers, with soups, or sliced for a simply delicious addition to any meal.

Makes 3 18" loaves

• 2 cups warm water (105110F)
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packages)
• 45 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• cup cornmeal

1. In a large bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup flour and salt. Stir to combine. Add enough remaining flour to create a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 810 minutes. Return to bowl, dust the top lightly with flour, and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment; dust with cornmeal. Turn risen dough onto a floured surface and divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each piece into a tight rope, and taper the ends slightly. Place loaves on prepared pan, dust with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and rise another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Using a serrated knife, make five or six angled slashes into the top of each loaf, about " deep. Place a pan of cold water at the bottom of the oven to create steam. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 1520 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool completely before slicing.

This slightly sweet bread is perfect for making French toast, or try it next time you make bread puddingits sure to comfort and satisfy you.

Makes 1 loaf

• 1 cups warm milk (105110F)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
• 3 cups bread flour
• teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon warm water

1. In a large bowl, combine milk, butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and yeast. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Add another 3 tablespoons honey and 1 cup flour. Stir to combine. Add salt and enough remaining flour to create a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 810 minutes. Return to bowl, dust with flour, and cover loosely with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Coat a 9" 5" loaf pan with pan spray, and line the bottom and short sides with a strip of parchment. Turn risen dough onto a floured surface and shape into an oblong loaf. Place into prepared pan; set aside to proof for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F.
4. Combine remaining tablespoon of honey with a teaspoon of warm water, and brush gently over the surface of the risen dough. Bake until golden brown and hollow sounding, about 3040 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool completely on a rack.

Youll feel better about serving this bread to your family, rather than the preservative-filled versions found at the grocery store.

Makes 1 loaf

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
• 45 cups whole-wheat flour
• cup water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 egg

1. For the sponge: Combine buttermilk and yeast. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup whole-wheat flour and beat for 1 minute. Cover and let stand at room temperature 812 hours.
2. Add to the sponge the water, butter, honey, teaspoon salt, and enough of the remaining whole-wheat flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead 810 minutes. Add flour only to reduce stickiness. Return to bowl, dust with flour, cover with plastic, and rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Coat a 9" 5" loaf pan with pan spray, and line its length with a strip of parchment. Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and shape into a loaf. Place in prepared pan, seam-side down. Dust lightly with flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and proof until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F. Beat egg with a pinch of salt, then brush lightly and evenly over the surface of the loaf. Bake 4050 minutes, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped from the bottom. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool completely on a rack.

The Whole-Wheat Feel

If this is your first whole-wheat recipe, you may be surprised at the feel of the dough. Whole-wheat flour is more coarse, and because it has less gluten than bread flour overall, the dough is stickier and less elastic. Never fear! Different is not necessarily bad.

This starter is a bit of a time-investment: It takes approximately 2 weeks to create. Keep your starter alive to create fresh breads whenever youd like!

Makes 9 cups starter

• 3 cups water
• teaspoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

1. Day 1: Combine 1 cup water, yeast, and 1 cup flour in a ceramic or glass bowl. Stir to combine, cover loosely with damp cheesecloth or towel, and set aside at room temperature. Stir this mixture once a day for the next 3 days.
2. Day 5: Add to the starter 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Stir well, cover again, and set aside at room temperature for another 4 days, stirring once a day, as before.
3. Day 10: Again, add 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix thoroughly. Let stand at room temperature loosely covered for 6 hours, or until the starter foams and doubles in volume. The starter is now ready to use.
4. To keep your starter alive, replace the quantity that has been used with an equal amount of water and flour (for every 1 cup used, replace with cup water and cup flour). Keep covered, stir it every day, and feed it every 5 days by removing some starter and again replacing it with an equal amount of water and flour. If you do not wish to feed it, but want to keep it, cover, airtight, and refrigerate indefinitely, taking it out and repeating the process (removing and replacing 1 cup as before) for 10 days before using it again.

These round loaves are a bit of a time investment, but youll be rewarded when your home is filled with the inviting aroma of sourdough!

Makes 2 loaves