Simple Loaf of Bread

2lb recipe from Donna Miller (slightly modified by me)http://www.millersgrainhouse.com/index.html



Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Warm Water (100-100 degrees F)
1 TBSP oil (olive or melted butter)
1/4 cup sweet stuff ( sugar, honey, or sucanant)
3 1/2 cups freshly milled flour (any combo of wheat--best for newbies to start 1 1/2 cups soft white & 2 cups of hard wheat)
1/4 cup gluten (or 2TBSP gluten and 2TBSP rice brand extract)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. Fleishmann's Instant Yeast




1. For Bread Machine: Put ingredients in order given and set to "Dough Setting." Now go relax...all the instructions for "By hand or with mixer/dough hook" will be done in the machine. Begin instructions from Turn-Out.




1. By hand or with Mixer/Dough hook; Mix all the water, oil, sweet stuff together in your mixing bowl Proof your yeast in the liquid if you want to, however instant yeast does not HAVE to be proofed (let it get bubbly) but it won't hurt to do. In a separate bowl, mix all you dry ingredients (flour, gluten, salt, and yeast, if you didn't proof it.)



Slowly add the dry to the liquid stirring until too hard to use a spoon, then start the kneading process (or if in the kitchen aid-start the dough hook)



Knead (by hand, bread hook, or Bosch) minimum 10 minutes -- up to 15 minutes- until the dough feels elastic and looks silky-like or in a Bosch Mixer-it pulls away from the sides.


Cover the bowl with a clean cloth towel.



Let dough rise once in the bowl in semi warm place approximately 30 minutes or until double in size. Lightly punch it down to get all the air out after it rose the first time.



2. Turn-Out onto AN OILED surface (not floured--it makes it heavy and dense) and let it rest for 5mins (this helps the gluten that has formed to relax a bit and not "crack the crust.")



3. Now weigh your dough. This recipe should make a 2 pound loaf.



Here are the dimensions for loaf pans:






2 pound loaf pan 12x4.5x2.5



1 1/2 pound loaf pan 10x4.5x2.5




Divide your dough into the weight needed for your pan.









4. Now form your loaf by flattening by hand and rolling up like a"jelly roll" after tucking the ends in ans seam side down, place it into a greased loaf pan.

5. Cover the pan with a clean towl and let rise in a semi-warm place for another 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Be sure your racks are placed so the loaf may bake in center of oven.

6. Bake this 2 pound receipe for 18-22 minutes in the center of the oven. Start checking for golden tops and and hollow sound when top is tapped at about 18 minutes.



7. Take out or pans and cool on wire rack. Wait at least 10 minutes before attempting to cut or it smooshes.






Other SHAPES:


From step 3 above, measure your dough and divide into by the number given below:








Hoagie Rolls: divide dough into 8 equal balls. Roll like a thick play-doh snake and place in casserold dish, not quite touching. Again, they will rise and touch and about 30 minutes. Bake 15mins on 350 degress.








Hot Dog Buns- divide dough into 10 equal balls.Roll like a thick play-doh snake and place in casserold dish, not quite touching. Again, they will rise and touch and about 30 minutes. Bake 15mins on 350 degress

Note--I divided my 2lb dough into 16 balls and make min hot dog buns for sandwhiches and dinner rolls.












I made pigs in a blanket with this bread...I used 11-12oz made a rectangle and rolled it up around the hot dog.