Homemade Bread for Beginners & Easy
Recipe Overview
Overview
Baking bread at home can be a rewarding experience, and this recipe is perfect for beginners. With just a few simple ingredients—bread flour, water, yeast, and salt—you can create a delicious loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches or toast. The process begins with mixing warm water and yeast, allowing it to activate before incorporating the flour and salt. Kneading the dough for about eight minutes is crucial for developing gluten, which gives the bread its structure and chewiness.
After kneading, the dough rests for a short time before being shaped into loaves. This resting period is essential as it allows the dough to relax, making it easier to shape. Once shaped, the loaves rise again before baking, which helps them achieve that perfect fluffy texture. The final touch of brushing melted butter on top adds a lovely sheen and keeps the crust soft.
This homemade bread is not only simple to make but also incredibly satisfying. The aroma of freshly baked bread filling your kitchen is hard to beat. Whether you’re making it for a family meal or just to enjoy with some butter, this recipe is sure to impress. Plus, it’s a great way to get started with baking if you’ve never tried it before.
Recipe Details
Steps & Tips
Tip: Use vegetable oil or olive oil for flavor.
Add three cups of water to the mixing bowl.
Add two tablespoons of instant yeast to the water.
Add seven cups of bread flour to the yeast and water mixture.
Sprinkle three teaspoons of salt over the flour.
Add two tablespoons of oil to the mixture.
Mix the ingredients until well combined.
Turn the dough out onto a board and knead for eight minutes.
Tip: Knead the dough for eight minutes for best texture.
Let the dough rest for three minutes covered with a cloth.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl.
Cover the dough and let it rise for one hour.
Take the risen dough out and divide it into two pieces.
Pre-shape each piece into a round shape.
Tip: Pre-shaping helps the dough hold its shape and tension.
Let the pre-shaped loaves rest for 15 minutes.
Shape the loaves into their final form.
Place the shaped dough into a buttered loaf pan.
Tip: Butter the loaf pan to prevent sticking.
Let the loaves rise for another hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake the loaves for 40 minutes, checking at 35 minutes.
Tip: For softer bread, avoid adding water to create steam.
Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.
Tip: Brush the tops with melted butter to keep them soft.
Slice the cooled bread to serve.
Ingredients
Ingredient: Gluten
→ Substitution: Gluten-Free Flour Blend
Nutrition
Skill Level
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the most common questions about this recipe.
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Interesting Tidbits
- •Kneading the dough for eight minutes helps develop gluten, giving the bread its structure.
- •Letting the dough rest allows it to rise properly, resulting in a lighter loaf.
- •Using warm water helps activate the yeast more effectively.
- •Brushing the bread with melted butter after baking keeps the crust soft.
