Bread baking for dummies?

whoever gave me a great question made me hit 15k lurve. Thanks!!

I have no answer, but am avidly watching for someone else’s input because they sound delicious!

I like the book James Beard on Bread. It’s available used for not a lot of money from Amazon. Also Julia Child’s famous French Cooking book has a very useful section on bread baking.

@pdworkin, I need it before Thanksgiving!!!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/bread-recipes/basic-bread-recipe

the guy has some other bread recipes too

That’s what the Liberry is for, @Judi.

This ^^ message was paid for by your local “boost a liberrian” organization.

@pdworkin , I haven’t been in one of those in a while!!

@Judi You really should go – they’re GGGRREAT!

@janbb, Who are you, Tony The Tiger?

silly rabbi, trix are for yids.

@pdworkin ; I did find a James Beard basic bread recipe online and I will try it out tonight and see what happens. I want to be sure it will turn out before Thanksgiving.
Still waiting for more recipes though!!

but i gave you a recipe already!

@ragingloli , How did I miss that!!!

@ragingloli ; That technique looks like you may have to be artistic! I am afraid I would blow a hole in the wall and make a mess!!! Have you tried this recipe? was it easy for a rusty cook?

i tried making bread once and i baked it too long, came out hard as stone, but the technique with the well was easy enough.

I’m not really answering your question, but I saw a great idea I wanted to share. A friend of mine mentioned on his facebook page that he uses his bread machine for making dough, but then removes the dough and makes into whatever shape or whichever pan he prefers. I thought that was a great idea. I have always been reluctant to buy a bread machine because people have complained to meit doesn’t bake the same, but I think I am going to ask for one for Chanukah.

I got my bread machine for less than $5 at the local thrift store. It’s worth looking.

Well, I have a bread machine. (looking guilty) I started using a dark lager/beer instead of milk or water. It adds a wonderful, full bodied taste to the bread.

That sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that.

that sounds disgusting

@laureth It really is!!

@ragingloli :) It really isn’t!

i could tolerate wine, sparkling wine or liquors..but beer…urgh

@ragingloli wine would be too light. A liqueur would be too heavy. It’s the yeast and hops in the beer that do it.

Plus, it probably doesn’t taste like you’re drinking a beer any more than eating, say, beer-batter shrimp does. It’s just an added something, eh?

@laureth Eggzactly.

i have no idea what that tastes like either

My mom make KILLeR bread which is UBER good but that’s my mom and not me so sorry I can’t help and now I’m hungry for some bread

@ragingloli You need a mom.
@PooperDood Hush! I’m hungry too! Oh. Some warm, fresh out of the oven, homemade bread right now, dripping with melted butter….

Skip the bread. Make cookies.

I made a James beard Recipe per @pdworkin ‘s suggestion last night. It was really good, but not quite as fluffy as I hoped. It might be perfect for my cheese and onions though. I will have to try that tonight.

I’m wondering if you’re looking for more of a crescent roll texture? Only in a clover leaf roll? I pulled out my old cook book. Here’s a recipe for crescent rolls. Never tried it myself, but here it is!
2 pkgs yeast
⅓ c warm water
½ c sugar
½ c shortening
2 tsp salt
⅔ c milk, scalded
3 eggs slightly beaten
5¼ c flour
4TBLS melted butter.

Soften yeast in warm water. Combine next 4 ingredients, stir well. Cool to lukewarm. Add 1½ cups flur, beat well. Add yeast and eggs, mix. Stir in remaining flour. Knead until smooth. Place in greased bowl, turning once. Cover, let rise 1½ hours.

At this point it talks about making the crescent rolls, rolling them out flat then rolling them to shape.. I don’t know why you couldn’t make your cloverleaf rolls instead….PS. Doesn’t say anything about letting it rise a second time.

Let us know!

My mom just made bread with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and it was SOOOOOOOSOSOSSSOO good

@PooperDood ; I used to do that when my kids were little. Yum!!!!

@Val123 ; not that flaky, just more airy.

@Judi what about parker house rolls?

@JLeslie , I am not sure what they are? Would they be good with cheese and onions on them?

@Judi Ummm, bicycle pump??
pssst! those frozen, store bought rolls are VERY yummy and VERY fluffy! I won’t tell!!

They have the recipe on this site for the Omni Parker House http://www.omnihotels.com/findahotel/bostonparkerhouse/dining.aspx I remember making them in school a long long time ago. You make a circe and fold over the dough if I remember correclty. There are other pictures of them and recipes if you google. They are kind of light and fluffy. Or did you want something very crusty like a french bread?

<clears throat> I have a recipe for you. It is from a former co-worker who brought in such delicious rolls that I bugged her for several months until she brought in the recipe. Here it is:

2 C warm water
2 TB yeast
¾ C oil
¾ C sugar
2½ tsp salt
3 eggs
8 C flour

Mix water, yeast, sugar, salt and eggs.

Add 5 C of flour—mix well.

Add oil—mix well.

Gradually add remaining flour—mix well.

Form into golf-ball sized rolls. Place on greasedd cookie sheet. Let rise.

Bake at 375* for 25 minutes.

Makes 50 rolls.

(If you’re interested, I have her directions for brown ‘n’ serve rolls, too.)

I hope this works out for you!

Thanks, @evegrimm!

OK, ya’ll…I’ve noticed some recipes (and damn if spell check isn’t going to learn me how to spell ercipies!) call for 0 eggs, 1 egg, up to 3 eggs. I’ve always gone with one. What effect do eggs have on bread?

@Val123, eggs add fat and protein, as well as “tenderiz[ing] products” (Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking). I think he means that eggs help to make bread softer.

Here’s an example from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen:

Rustic White Bread has no eggs, and is more of a crusty, french bread, while her Challah has 5 eggs, and challah is a soft bread.

The most basic bread recipes use flour, water, yeast and a pinch of salt…delicious crusty bread. But for soft bread, eggs and/or some other fat are required.

Does that answer your question?

I am learning so much!!

Also, I would like to add PioneerWoman’s Dinner Rolls: No Kneading Required.

Her recipes are all delicious, easy, and not froofy. In the best way, of course!

@evegrimm you say let rise. How long?

@JLeslie, I don’t know, because I haven’t made them before. However, from previous bread/roll experience, I would say, “Until doubled in size.” That’s what they usually say, right? :D

My mom just made pumpkin bread

@evegrimm Thank you so much!! It has never occurred to me to not use fat of some kind, and I’ve really been wanting to make some French bread but it never comes out like I want! I think I have it now, thanks to you!

@JLeslie I think a general rule of thumb, about an hour each rising until roughly double in size…like @she said (I’m in edit mode! I can’t see who “she” is!). Most recipes call for two risings. Don’t know why. Hm. Time to call @evegrimm in!

Oh wow…“She” is Evegrimm! Now I get a perfecto fish!!!

@Val123, you mean you figured out how to get perfecto fish? I got one but I don’t know why!

@Judi I think it’s for editing something three times.

I would suggest getting a good bread machine and a recipe book for it. Have the machine mix and knead the dough .. then take it out and bake it in the traditional way. That is pretty much no-fail and no one will know you didn’t do it all yourself!

Don’t know if you’re still following these answers, but I hope this helps someone. Here is the recipe for my mom’s amazingly light, fluffy, and delicious Sunday Dinner rolls:

http://groo.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/sunday-dinner-rolls/

Hope you like them – let me know if you have any questions about the link or the recipe.

@angelaclaire mmmm! Vanilla! I never thought of that!