I embarked on a bread making adventure today. This is the first time I've made bread from scratch...other than flavored breads, such as pumpkin or banana. This was a lot different...lots of kneading...rising...kneading...and more rising...and I'm ashamed to admit that I had to google "proofing yeast" as I had NO IDEA what that even meant! Well, let me tell you, yeast that is "proofing" stinks. My whole kitchen smelled like a brewery/bread factory. However, it was very neat to watch the yeast "explode" in the bowl and foam up. I definitely broadened my horizons a bit this morning!
Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2/3 cup white sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 6 cups bread flour
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
The bread was good. I made half of it into a loaf, and the other half was used to make rolls. It's a little sweeter than normal bread, which is okay by me. I'd probably rate it 4 stars....rating bread is hard since I don't think I've EVER had homemade bread...other than the afore mentioned flavored breads!
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