Home bread

Home bread

Ingredients

Instructions:

  1. Proof the yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and sugar (if using). Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy. This indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. If you want a softer crust, you can also add the olive oil at this point.
  3. Pour the activated yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Mix well to form a dough.
  4. Knead the dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step.
  5. First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  6. Punch down the dough: Gently punch down the risen dough to release any air bubbles.

  7. Shape the loaf: Shape the dough into a round or oval loaf. You can also divide the dough into smaller portions and shape them into rolls or mini loaves.
  8. Second rise: Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet or in a greased loaf pan. Cover it with a towel and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes.
  9. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

  10. Bake: Bake the bread in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  11. Cool: Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy your freshly baked homemade bread! You can customize this basic recipe by adding ingredients like herbs, seeds, or grated cheese to the dough for added flavor.


Grandma's tricks for fluffy homemade bread

A first culinary secret is to activate the yeast to get a soft, airy dough and a fluffy bread. The yeast must be placed in a bowl of warm water and a little salt and left to activate for 15 minutes. Equally important is the way the dough is kneaded. If the dough is not kneaded long enough, the bread will not rise and be fluffy. In order for the delicious homemade bread to have a golden crust, we can spread the dough with a little oil and beaten egg. Baking trays should also be greased with butter, oil and lined with baking paper. The oven must be preheated for the dough to have a thermal shock and rise to get a perfect loaf at the end. If we want to give this traditional homemade dish extra flavor and a special appearance, we can put some sunflower, pumpkin or flax seeds on top, and we can add a teaspoon of honey to the dough composition.

Tips to keep bread fresh longer!

The warm bread is left to cool unwrapped. Otherwise, the crust will no longer be crispy and will go moldy. It is good that freshly baked bread is not stored in plastic bags, because plastic does not allow the bread to "breathe", which causes moisture to remain inside the bag, the bread becomes soft and, gradually, moldy. As a rule, freshly baked bread is stored with the cut side down, without any kind of packaging. It is recommended that the bread be kept in a dry and light-free space. In order for the bread to keep its crust, it is good to keep it wrapped in paper. The idea that bread can be stored well in the refrigerator is wrong. There, she loses her physical qualities. But if you absolutely want to keep it in the fridge, wrap the bread in a clean cotton napkin and then put it in a plastic or paper bag. Thus, you can keep it in the refrigerator in hygienic conditions for 4 or even 5 days, without losing its good taste. The cotton napkin absorbs the moisture and keeps the bread soft enough to taste. As there is little chance that you will eat a loaf of bread at one meal and you will most likely have some left over for the next day, chefs say that you can enjoy fresh and warm bread if you warm it up a little, for no more than 15 minutes at 250 Celsius degrees. It's a trick that makes bread crispy again. Fresh bread kept perfectly in the freezer. But don't use a simple plastic bag. First wrap the bread in aluminum foil. This way, the bread freezes evenly, but without ice needles forming, and will thaw more easily when you take it out of the freezer. If you defrost it slowly, you will have perfectly fresh bread. In addition, once thawed, bread, like any frozen food, cannot be refrozen. Stop keeping fresh bread in plastic, even if you keep it on the kitchen table. The bread is wrapped in wrapping paper or baking paper and then placed in a clean food bag. Thus, it does not mold too quickly in paper and can last longer at room temperature.