Bread Recipe

I love my bread machine too, BUT if you don't have one and don't want to get one, the extremely simple, no-knead recipe from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day book is absolutely wonderful!

NYT also has a no-knead bread recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

Have fun! Home-made bread is unbeatable!

There is a book called "Artisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day" by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois that you should REALLY try. The recipes are fabulous (and it includes just about every kind of bread I've ever heard of and then some), super easy (no kneading), and it does not involve a bread machine. I first heard about it through an article in a magazine, tried the sample recipe, and HAD to check out the book. I believe they just released a second book, too, but I'm not sure what its title is.

This is my Aunt Sarah's recipe - she's Amish :), and it's awesome! We use it for bread, rolls, and pizza crust.

3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. sugar
1 T salt
3 T butter
1 c. warm water
2 pkgs. yeast
1 egg, beaten
5 1/4 c. unsifted flour
Mix together in small bowl: hot water, sugar, salt, butter. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water in large bowl. Sprinkle or crumble yeast. Stir until dissolved. Stir in lukewarm mixture, egg, and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour and mix well. Place dough in plastic bowl; brush with softened shortening. Cover with wax paper or foil tightly. Store in refrigerator until it doubles in size. To use, punch down & pinch off dough as needed. Dough may be kept 4 days in fridge. Bake at 375F for 1/2 hr. Enjoy!

I've found that the recipes on the sides of the flour are pretty decent. FYI.....I've never tried white flour recipes (white bread) I only do whole grains.

Bread is something that takes a long time and lots of patience, not something you necessarily have a chance to give with a 21 month old running around. I'd suggest asking around and finding someone with a bread machine you can borrow (or have) or picking up one cheap at goodwill. (Mine, which my parents never used and gave me, took a dive off the counter and I got 3 or 4 people offering to give me theirs.) It'll be so much easier and well worth the trouble!

hi~
I don't have a bread machine either. I found a wonderful recipe on AllRecipes.com (Link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Whole-Wheat-Bread/Det.... The recipe recieved 404 reviews with average of 5/5 stars:

Simple Whole Wheat Bread

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely

ENJOY!

Go to King Arthur Flour's website - they have all kinds of great bread recipes!

I'm kind of a novice at bread making but I can tell you one of the key components is to add yeast to the water and sugar and let bubble up for awhile before adding the rest of the flour/water.

Are you trying to make whole wheat bread? If so, make sure you are using regular white flour too. Too much whole wheat flour makes the bread too dense. Good Luck and keep trying.

A bread machine is worth EVERY PENNY. I never make bread by hand. They aren't that expensive, they come with recipes, and you can buy specially boxed bread kits for the machine that make it even easier.

I found that the older recipes that my mother and grandmother used for bread tend to work the best. But if you don't have access to those types of recipes, the other one that I use for bread, which is really good is
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=12854
They have a great recipe book with the same recipes. The biggest key is to activate the yeast properly and the kneeding.

2 pkgs Quick Rise yeast- soak in 1 C lukewarm water with a sprinkle of sugar.

Seperately Mix;
2 T butter
2 t salt
1 C sugar
2 Eggs
Pour 2 C boiling water over this mixture and allow to cool completely

Add yeast when mixture is cooled and then begin adding about 4 lbs of flour. Stir it with a spoon as long as you can, then mix it with your fingers. You've got enough flour when it makes a ball.

Put dough in large buttered mixing bowl and cover it with a damp towel, then let it rise to double it's size (it'll be coming out of the bowl.

Punch it down and reform the ball, then let it rise again. Punch it down the second time and then split it between your loaf pans, it should fill the bottom half of a well buttered pan.

Let the dough rise a final time in the loaf pans til it looks like a loaf of bread, and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. I usually butter the top of each loaf after about 25 minutes.

I have found some great books at the library! I too am all about my bread machine and would highly recommend that you find one at a yard sale or Goodwill. I'm now on my third machine and just got a book yesterday at the library. As for making it yourself with no machine - it's hard work. I would highly recommend using a KitchenAid stand mixer to mix everything together. I don't have the forearm strength to mix and knead bread dough and I'm a massage therapist. Go figure! I even use the bread machine to make homemade pizza dough. You'll be happy with all of the options you have! With my bread machine I make bread, pizza dough, bagels, pretzels...