Homemade Bread

mmmm.....homemade bread! Is there anything more comforting? Well, maybe, but it is definitely at the top of my list.  I love the smell of fresh bread in the house. 

Deb's Homemade Bread
1 1/2 cups warm (not hot) water
3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 Tbls honey
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp yeast

In a small bowl, beat the egg, salt, honey, and oil until well combined. 

In a medium sized bowl, heat the water (I use the microwave) until the water is really warm.  I heat it on high for 1 minute, 15 seconds.  Add the egg mixture and stir well.  At this point, the water should be warm to the touch, but not hot.  If it's too hot, let it cool for a minute.  Water that is too hot will cause the yeast to under-perform...too cold, and it will not activate the yeast. 

Add the yeast, stir, and let sit for 5-6 minutes, until the yeast begins to work.  You will know the yeast is activated by the frothiness on top.

Begin adding the sifted flour, one cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.  After the 3rd cup, reduce the amount you add to 1/4 - 1/2 cup each time.  Continue adding the flour and mixing, until the dough is workable, but not too dry.  For me, if the dough has formed somewhat of a ball, and is difficult to stir, it's time to knead. 

Turn your dough out onto a floured surface, add a little more flour, and knead until the dough is smooth and springs back when you press it with your finger.  You will also see air bubbles in parts of the dough. Add as little flour as possible during the kneading process, so that you do not end up with tough, dry bread.  Overworking the dough is your biggest enemy.  I lightly flour my hands rather than the dough during kneading.  The kneading process should take 5-7 minutes. 

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turn once to coat the dough in oil, cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.  This usually takes about an hour.  After the dough has risen, punch it down, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 5-6 more times.  Divide the dough in half and place into two lightly oiled, medium sized, bread pans.  Cover and let rise another 20-30 minutes, until the bread has almost doubled in size again.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Baking bread is one of those things that requires a little practice to get it right, but once you learn it, you will never want to return to store bought bread.  The more you bake, the more familiar you will be come with the "feel" of the dough. If you have a friend that bakes bread, ask if you can watch how they do it. Whatever it takes, it is worth it!