{chat and rec} Breaking bread with friends

[Homestyle]

I had some unexpected company just as I was taking a big round loaf of herbed bread from the oven. I put on a pot of coffee and sliced the bread. I put out individual saucers around the table and ground some black pepper in each one. I then poured some extra virgin olive oil on top of the pepper and we all sat down to dip eat drink and gab!
What a nice afternoon and everyone raved about the great food. LOL. Bread and oil is all I served! Sometimes I add shredded Monteray Jack cheese in the last kneading for great cheese bread just like at subway.


This bread recipe has turned out perfect every time.



1 cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons butter softened
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons dried minced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast


Can be put in bread machine in order per your machine or mixed and kneaded by hand. Two rising and bake at 350º for 30 min. For great dippin bread, coat shaped dough with olive oil and sprinlke on course ground salt before baking.

 

[Wimpy]

I will try this one

two things I like for sure. Using bread flour and baking at 350. I thought I was the only one who didn't like to bake at 4 and up. Like to bake it low and longer. I have done at 325 for 45 to 60 min.(for loaves) I don like the crust hard.
shay; I would like to put my mothers bread thing on here one of these days for it is quite different. I will wait and put it on right before thanksgiving for it is kind of like rolls , but yet not. ha. keep ya in mystery.
tks homestyle.

 

[Melodi]

Bread Crusts

Hi, my family likes bread all sorts of ways. My husband usually prefers hard rolls, I like both hard rolls and soft squishy bread, depending on what mood I'm in. I also wondered why I didn't see more about the tempreture differences affecting crust type. I also noticed that the very plain breads (just flour, water, salt, sugar, yeast, sometimes olive oil) make the best hard rolls. And overheating the oven to about 450, then turning it down to about 400 when putting the bread in helps. So does a pan of water at the bottem of the stove. For softer bread and crusts, use milk, eggs, butter, honey, mashed potatoes) and make a softer dough. Cook at 350 (or even 325 depending on your oven). For soft rolls, sometimes only cook for as little as 15 minutes. This works well for cinimon rolls too. And is great for breads with fruit pieces in them.

I'm going to post now since we just got back on line - any other tricks people have figured out?

Melodi...who thinks the dark skies mean it might be a good time to go put some bread on..

 

[Homestyle]

For crusty rolls and bread, I use a spay bottle of water and every so often I will spray water in the oven while the bread is baking. Works better then the pan of water for me. Using an Artisian bread recipe makes for a crispier crust, in fact that is a tradmark of those recipies. I suggest going to this website

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/cgibin/start/ahome/main.html

for great information and recipes all for baking. Ask for the free catalog too, it has lots of interesing facts about flour, yeast and bread and recipes mixed in with the products (which are excellent products)

 

[Dorema]

I have certain friends that call up and ask if I am making bread. If the answer is yes, the next question is ," Can I come over?" usually with a pitiful plea in their voice.
I discovered liquid lecithin for health reasons and started putting a teaspoon or so in my bread. Makes the texture sooooo soft.
Dorema

 

[Homestyle]

I have a bottle of that stuff and didn't know what to do with it! Don't even remember why I bought it. Thanks for the tip!