BREAD

The staff of life....
If there is no bread in the freezer at our house it is almost as bad as if we had no milk.
I use this recipe for most of our bread, pizza, burger buns, or sub rolls it just gets shaped differently.
I normally use the brand names of the items in the picture.
You can use other types of oil or salt, but the flour should be a high gluten type. But each time I use a different flour I get different results and it takes a time or two to either adjust the recipe or adjust our tastes.
Bread reacts to the weather (honestly) if there is more moisture in the air, it seems to rise better. The moisture in your flour can affect the dough too.

The recipe is for two loaves of bread. I use the pans in the picture they are 4-1/2 wide by 9-1/2 long and 2-1/2 high. They originally were non-stick pans, they are very old and I don't wash them in between.  I use a quick spray of non-stick stuff. The bread normally just falls out of the pan.


Recipe:
3 cups of warm water- I don't normally test it, but it is between 100 and 110 degrees. I do not warm my mixing  bowl. I pour the water directly into my metal mixer bowl.

4 teaspoons of salt
3 Tablespoons of  olive oil
8 cups of flour- do not pack the flour, scoop it up and POUR it into your measuring cup.
2 heaping tablespoons of yeast
3 Tablespoons of sugar

Place in mixing bowl in order given,

Then using dough hook...let 'er mix. If you have the time let the mixer work at least 5 minutes. The dough should get very smooth. It might climb the beater, but after 5 minutes it should be OK to handle. If it still is very sticky, add a 1/4 cup of flour at a time until you get a better consistency.

 A little sticky is better than dry. If you can handle it without having a big sticky mess, you don't need more flour

If you poke it quickly with your finger it should dent,but then slowly rise back out again.

Divide dough in two parts, smooth into longish rolls and place in your sprayed pans.

 Let rise about 25 minutes. Sometimes it takes a bit longer, if the house is cold. You should let it rise away from a draft. I set it on my stove top.
In the winter when the air is dry, the dough will sort of dry out on top....at about 15 min. into rising time, gently feel the loaf. If it seems dry, wet your hands with warm water and GENTLY wet the tops of the loaf.


Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350. Again this is where trial and error come in. Each oven bakes differently, if I make 4 loaves at a time, I definitely need the 30- 35 minutes...only 2 loaves   25 minutes.
So check the bread, if it is brown on top and sounds hollow when you tap it...you should be good.

Remove from oven, tip the loaf out onto a towel and wrap the bread in the towel.
 Note: If you dump out the loaf and see that it is very light on the bottom, gently tip it back in the pan and bake another 5 minutes. This is a good color.

After the loaf is cool and there is still some left....you can freeze it. Let it cool under a towel, it won't dry out as quickly.


Someone asked how I keep it for a week.  We slice the bread as soon as it is cool enough, bag it and deep freeze it.
It will taste fresh if you freeze it right away.
 Your refrigerator freezer will not do a good job...maybe if you double bag it....you would have better results.


One half of this recipe makes 2 pizzas....oil the pizza pan well, let rise about 15 min. and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 min...just starting to brown.  Put on your sauce, toppings and cheese, return to oven for another 10 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling....affordable pizza!


Shape the above recipe into 24 balls, flatten onto a cookie sheet, let rise a bit and bake at 350... 
Shape into long skinny logs and you have sub sandwich rolls