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Ingredients
- 2 cups warm (hot-ish) water
- 4 tsp yeast
- 1 Tbs sugar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 5 cups flour
- 2 tsp salt
Details
Adapted from thewannabecountrygirl.com
Preparation
Step 1
first put 2 cup almost hot water in a bowl, add 4 teaspoons yeast (I like rapid rise, I’m not patient)
next add 1 tablespoon of sugar. That yeast needs something to eat so it will have the energy to push the bread up. give it a good stir. You will notice a smell kinda like gym socks and mushrooms. That’s good! IT’S ALIVE!!!! set it aside for at least 5 minutes.
In your mixing bowl place 5 cups bread flour (I’ve made it with good old fashioned all purpose and I really can’t tell the difference, but since we’re making bread I felt obligated to say bread flour) and if your going to be a snob about it, which I sometimes am, you can use unbleached. It’ll give you such a feeling of superiority.
add your 1/4 cup oil (I use olive because it makes me feel all chefy)
next sprinkle in the salt ( I like Kosher salt, and I’m not going to tell you why…….just kidding! I like it cause it tastes good)
pour that funky yeast mix in
turn on the mixer and stand back
let it mix on low until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and all ingredients are incorporated
take that used bowl and spray it with Pam. the dough goes back in the oiled bowl then cover it and let it rise for 25 minutes. well you know how I said let it rise for 25 minutes? My father came over for a visit and I forgot all about the bread. That yeast went into over drive and nearly sent the dough out of the mixing bowl
One punch down and it’s back to manageable size
turn the dough onto a floured surface. work it with your hands until you feel it start to relax. If it hasn’t had time to relax you’ll roll it out to the perfect size, turn your head to answer the phone and it will be back in a ball. It will take about 5 minutes of a good massage to relax it into submission
this recipe is for 2 loaves so at this point cut it in half. You can make two loaves or I like to put half in the fridge and make pizza dough with it the next night.
roll the remaining dough out into a rectangle-ish shape, then roll it like you would a jelly roll
once you have it on you pan cut some slices in the top and cover for another 20 minutes for a second rise (if you do use the other half of the dough for pizza there’s no need for a second rise….just pull it from the fridge kneed it a little and spread it on your pan)
it’s time for “Puff Daddy” to meet the heat…..350′ for 25 minutes
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