Open in Cookpad AppCooking Instructions
- 1
Cast 2 packets of yeast into 3 cups of lukewarm water. Water should be between 85°F and 105°F in temperature. No need for a thermometer here though, I usually just run the water over my wrist until it feels just slightly warmer than body temp.
- 2
Stir in your sweetener.
- 3
Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time.
- 4
When all of the flour has been added, the mixture should be a thick, muddy paste. Now, using a spatula or wooden spoon, scoop to the bottom of the bowl and back over the top, folding the paste back into itself. Repeat this motion 100 times.
- 5
Cover with a moist towel and set aside in a warm location for 45 minutes.
- 6
On to Stage 2. Your bread paste should have gained quite a bit of volume. Now, stir in your salt and oil.
- 7
One cup at a time, fold in about 3 of the remaining 4 cups of flour. It may take a little less or more than the 3 cups of flour, but once the dough starts to form together and pull away from the sides of the bowl, dump the remaining flour on a clean surface, turn out the dough on top of it, and start kneading.
- 8
Knead for 8-10 minutes.
- 9
When the dough is smooth, clean out the bowl it was in, and slide your dough ball back in there. As before, cover the bowl with a towel and tuck it away in a nice, warm spot. Come back in about 45 minutes.
- 10
Again, it should have risen quite a bit. Now, punch it down. Just pound it until it deflates. Scrape that sticky stuff from the side of the bowl and get your dough rolled back into a tight ball. Once more, back in the bowl, cover it with a moist towel and set a timer for 45 minutes.
- 11
Alright, time to shape your loaves. Knead the dough briefly, and think about what type of shape you're looking for. This is our first loaf, so I've included a very basic shaping technique, but there are countless variations you can find, and don't be scared to invent your own technique once you've got a few loaves under your belt.
- 12
Grease up a standard loaf pan.
- 13
Divide your dough roughly in thirds. Take 1/3 of the dough and spread it out in a rectangle, about the same length as the pan. Roll it tightly, and pinch the seem neatly closed.
- 14
Square off the sides a bit with your hands and plop the loaf into the pan with the seam facing up. Press it gently into the pan, then flip it over, so the seam is facing down, and the top is lightly greased. Again, press the loaf gently into the pan to seal.
- 15
Cover loaves with a moist towel and set aside for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 16
Score the top of the loaf with 1/2" deep slits. This allows steam to escape a little easier, without deforming the surface of your loaf.
- 17
If you like, adding a little egg wash at this stage will give the top of your bread a nice sheen. Just beat together the egg and water and brush it over the exposed surface of the dough with a pastry brush.
- 18
Bake for about 45 minutes and check. It will probably take closer to an hour to bake, but you don't want to overdo it. When your bread is cooked through, it will have a distinct hollow sound when tapped with a knuckle or fingertip. It might take a couple batches to get confident in your bread checking skills, but the sound of a properly cooked loaf of bread is really quite distinct.
- 19
Take a moment to reflect. Then, enjoy a warm slice of freshly baked bread.
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