http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_wheat_bread
I haven't tried this yet, but have had it bookmarked for awhile.
I haven't tried this yet, but have had it bookmarked for awhile.
Bread!!! Help with making the perfect recipe?
- Thread starter Bettacreek
- Start date
CrimsonRose
Lovin' The Homestead
I have a question... how do you keep homemade bread fresh longer? I'm so sick of having to bake bread everyother day! and let the leftovers waist because we didn't eat it fast enough... Is there anything (all natural) that you can bake into it to help keep it from molding as fast?
When I want a sandwich it's because I want something quick and easy and have it ready and on hand... not have to bake bread for an hour first... I like feeding us healthier but it's so frustrating when you have to toss out all your hard work every 2-3 days... Chickens don't mind but I do! hahaha
When I want a sandwich it's because I want something quick and easy and have it ready and on hand... not have to bake bread for an hour first... I like feeding us healthier but it's so frustrating when you have to toss out all your hard work every 2-3 days... Chickens don't mind but I do! hahaha
This won't be an option if you want that "just baked" texture, but what I do is just freeze it. When the bread has cooled completely I slice it, and double bag it for the freezer. DH and I are completely comfortable with pulling out a few slices, and popping them in the toaster for a little bit - just to defrost, or all the way to toast. You might prefer to leave them to defrost on their own. My friend freezes hers (either homebaked or bought) whole, and pulls out a loaf at a time, but the two of us don't eat it fast enough for that.
ETA: I've also read that honey in the bread will help keep it fresh for a bit longer. Can't say from experience though, as most of my homemade bread is without sweetener.
ETA: I've also read that honey in the bread will help keep it fresh for a bit longer. Can't say from experience though, as most of my homemade bread is without sweetener.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
One thing you can do instead of buying gluten flour, is to sub about one cup of white flour in place of WW flour, this will give it enough gluten to rise properly. I just use regular yeast that I buy in bulk vacuum packed packages--not really sure what kind you are talking about.
Old Sew'n'Sew
All Strings Considered
Slice it as soon as it cools, wrap with foil and put in a freezer bag, and freeze it right away, then just take out what you need for each meal. It will freeze better sometimes if you add powdered milk or one egg to the batter.
The Amish bulk food store sells gluten and dough conditioner, I have used them with good results.
Use the highest quality flour you can get, I use King Aurthur, they have WW, White WW, All purpose unbleached White, And high gluten white bread flour.
Try to find a copy of "Fleischmann's Bake it easy Yeast Book" circa. 1973-4 (before bread machines
), there is a detailed tutorial on bread baking, and 60+ bread recipes. I found one last summer to replace my tattered copy. Follow the instuctions exactly and you will get a nearly perfect loaf. You can make substitutions in brands etc. i.e. I use some thing different than Fleischmanns products (but still use the Fleischmann's yeast) which are featured in the book but use the flours that are recommended. Really any good bread recipe will do if you measure accurately, and knead the dough for a full 10 minutes.
My Mother got very sick when I was 14, I taught myself how to bake bread with this booklet because I had to to feed my brothers and sisters. I have been baking all the years since with this same book. I think bread machines are a joke.
I just took 4 loaves of Ezekiel Bread out from the oven. Thats another story.
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
Well, I don't think they are a joke, but I would never bake the loaf in the thing. When I started doing sourdough, I was kneading by hand, and now have a kitchenaide. I'm a multitasking fool, and these machines free me up to get other stuff done.
Old Sew'n'Sew
All Strings Considered
By hand you can make a double recipe and use just 10 minutes to knead it and have 4 or 5 loaves to put in the freezer and you're done, 
for how ever long it takes to eat 4 loaves of bread 1 or 2 weeks to a month or more. (You can keep bread frozen for up to 3 months.)
By Hand if you use the cold method you can keep a batch of the dough in the refrigerator then shape a loaf and bake it fresh without getting that
machine out and cleaning it afterward.
Also saves electricity bills as mine were way out there when I was using a machine.
I hated dragging that thing out every few days just to make one loaf of bread at a time.
Large batches take the same time and effort as one loaf and if I have too much I gift it to somebody who needs some.
Hand kneading bread is therapeutic for me.
for how ever long it takes to eat 4 loaves of bread 1 or 2 weeks to a month or more. (You can keep bread frozen for up to 3 months.) By Hand if you use the cold method you can keep a batch of the dough in the refrigerator then shape a loaf and bake it fresh without getting that
machine out and cleaning it afterward. Also saves electricity bills as mine were way out there when I was using a machine.
I hated dragging that thing out every few days just to make one loaf of bread at a time.
Large batches take the same time and effort as one loaf and if I have too much I gift it to somebody who needs some.
Hand kneading bread is therapeutic for me.
Beekissed
Mountain Sage
Same here, sis. I love kneading the bread dough....it feels like I'm connected with women all over the world for thousands of years, all doing the same motions and meditating on life, their daily tasks, their families.
I make large batches also and just freeze the dough that I don't want to use at the moment in a ziplock freezer bag. This way I don't have to actually make the batch to get a fresh loaf of bread when I need it.
I also make what I call WV flatbread, which is just my regular dough formed into balls, smashed flat and baked on a cookie sheet. These retain their moisture better than loaves or sliced bread and can fit easily into ziplocks to be frozen. That way one can take each one out individually to thaw or toast. I make them sandwich size for this purpose.
A simple white bread recipe can be sandwich bread quality if kneaded properly, let raise, punched down...repeat a couple of times, kneaded again and left to rise one more time. This makes a very fine textured bread that holds up well to slicing and sandwich making.
My whole wheat bread is usually very fluffy and fine textured...I think the wheat I grind has plenty of gluten and never needs any added to get good results. This wheat makes bread so springy and light its a crime!
I love kneading the bread dough....it feels like I'm connected with women all over the world for thousands of years, all doing the same motions and meditating on life, their daily tasks, their families. I make large batches also and just freeze the dough that I don't want to use at the moment in a ziplock freezer bag. This way I don't have to actually make the batch to get a fresh loaf of bread when I need it.
I also make what I call WV flatbread, which is just my regular dough formed into balls, smashed flat and baked on a cookie sheet. These retain their moisture better than loaves or sliced bread and can fit easily into ziplocks to be frozen. That way one can take each one out individually to thaw or toast. I make them sandwich size for this purpose.
A simple white bread recipe can be sandwich bread quality if kneaded properly, let raise, punched down...repeat a couple of times, kneaded again and left to rise one more time. This makes a very fine textured bread that holds up well to slicing and sandwich making.
My whole wheat bread is usually very fluffy and fine textured...I think the wheat I grind has plenty of gluten and never needs any added to get good results. This wheat makes bread so springy and light its a crime!
adoptedbyachicken
Lovin' The Homestead
If I'm making one batch of bread I find kneading bread therapeutic, but more than that is a chore. I hated my bread maker so it got given away, I got a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer from the main bread eater of the house for Valentines day. So.... he either loves me or my bread, I'm not sure.
Adding potato to your bread makes it less likely to mold. Either make mashed potatoes and freeze in ice cube trays so you can add a cube per loaf or some even just use the water that potatoes cooked in, but that did not work for me. I only have to do that with whites, multigrain will stay fine for me on it's own. If I make faux sourdough with some rye flour I notice that it stays fine too, so there could be something in the other flours that helps. Also I have had way more success with freshness and not having to freeze since I switched back to the old fashioned standard rise yeast rather than quick rise. Also I always now check bread for being done at 190 to 200 degrees, wonder if that helps kill any beasties that came with the flour? It has increased my cooking times so maybe I was under baking before, although it seemed done and tasted fine.
My fav bread
1.5 cups of hot water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tspn regular yeast
4 to 4.5 cups multigrain flour (I use Robin Hood, a Canadian brand)
1 tspn salt
1/4 cup butter soft
Combine the first and leave to work for 5 min. Add to the rest and knead in the Kitchen Aid for 5 minutes or 10 to 12 by hand. Raise for one hour punch down and knead again for same time. Split in 2 and put in standard loaf pans or one long sandwich pan. Raise 30 minutes in slightly warmed oven. Spray the oven walls and the dough with water at the start of the second rising. For a soft crust leave the loaves in the oven, (don't even open the door to let the moisture out) turn the oven on to 325 F and set the timer for 35 minutes. For a crisp crust take the loaves out of the oven, preheat to 325 F and then put them back in for 30 minutes. Test with a meat thermometer for center temperature of 190 to 200 F.
I have substituted in up to 1.5 cups of mashed yams or sweet potatoes for the flour for a much more nutritious bread too, and great flavour, especially if I have left over turkey or ham to make sandwiches with. Interesting toast with just butter but weird with pb or jam....
Adding potato to your bread makes it less likely to mold. Either make mashed potatoes and freeze in ice cube trays so you can add a cube per loaf or some even just use the water that potatoes cooked in, but that did not work for me. I only have to do that with whites, multigrain will stay fine for me on it's own. If I make faux sourdough with some rye flour I notice that it stays fine too, so there could be something in the other flours that helps. Also I have had way more success with freshness and not having to freeze since I switched back to the old fashioned standard rise yeast rather than quick rise. Also I always now check bread for being done at 190 to 200 degrees, wonder if that helps kill any beasties that came with the flour? It has increased my cooking times so maybe I was under baking before, although it seemed done and tasted fine.
My fav bread
1.5 cups of hot water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tspn regular yeast
4 to 4.5 cups multigrain flour (I use Robin Hood, a Canadian brand)
1 tspn salt
1/4 cup butter soft
Combine the first and leave to work for 5 min. Add to the rest and knead in the Kitchen Aid for 5 minutes or 10 to 12 by hand. Raise for one hour punch down and knead again for same time. Split in 2 and put in standard loaf pans or one long sandwich pan. Raise 30 minutes in slightly warmed oven. Spray the oven walls and the dough with water at the start of the second rising. For a soft crust leave the loaves in the oven, (don't even open the door to let the moisture out) turn the oven on to 325 F and set the timer for 35 minutes. For a crisp crust take the loaves out of the oven, preheat to 325 F and then put them back in for 30 minutes. Test with a meat thermometer for center temperature of 190 to 200 F.
I have substituted in up to 1.5 cups of mashed yams or sweet potatoes for the flour for a much more nutritious bread too, and great flavour, especially if I have left over turkey or ham to make sandwiches with. Interesting toast with just butter but weird with pb or jam....
MorelCabin
Quilting Extraordinaire
Here is our favourate recipe, and it is made in my breadmachine, but like North, I nver bake my bread in there, I just use it to mix it until the first rise
It's a white bread, perfect sandwich bread...moist and delicious!
1 3/8 to 1 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. sugar
4 c. bread flour
2 tsp yeast
Put in machine in order given
I used to spend alot of time baking bread...but fell in love with the bread machine from the start...you can bake bread everyday without fuss or time, and it is always fresh for dinner
Another recipe I like is 7 grain bread
It's a white bread, perfect sandwich bread...moist and delicious!
1 3/8 to 1 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 c. oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. sugar
4 c. bread flour
2 tsp yeast
Put in machine in order given
I used to spend alot of time baking bread...but fell in love with the bread machine from the start...you can bake bread everyday without fuss or time, and it is always fresh for dinner
Another recipe I like is 7 grain bread
