How to Make Homemade Bread

Homemade bread is an easy, nourishing kitchen project.

Making homemade bread is a satisfying project that is easy and fun. It is a great project for children as young as 2 to help with. Bread making may sound intimidating, it's not hard to get started with simple loaves. Bread recipes tend to be forgiving, and more or less of any of the ingredients will usually still result in a delicious outcome. The warm, intoxicating aroma and taste of freshly baked bread make this a project worth tackling.

Things You'll Need

• 1 to 2 tbsp. or 1 to two packets dry active yeast
• 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, or a combination of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tsp. salt
• large mixing bowl

Instructions

1. Pour 2 cups lukewarm water into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Let stand about 10 minutes. Stir until yeast is dissolved, if necessary.

2. Add about 1 tsp. of salt and about 1 cup of flour. Stir well.

3. Continue to add flour until it is too thick to stir and the mix is a shaggy mass. The total flour should be about 4 to 5 cups. Up to two-thirds of the flour can be whole wheat.

4. Sprinkle a work area with flour and place the shaggy mass on it. Pull it together and push and pull on it until it forms a ball.

5. Knead the dough for 10 to 15 minutes. Children can participate by punching it and stretching it and rolling it out.

6. Cover the dough and let it rise for one to two hours, until doubled in bulk. The time will vary according to the weather. Clean the kitchen during this resting time.

7. Form the dough into the shape you desire. It can be a conventional bread loaf, or it can be little rolls, or any shape you like. Lightly grease the baking pan or sheet with olive oil or butter, depending on the final flavor you desire.

8. Let the dough rest again for about 40 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the loaf or rolls. Rolls bake more quickly. The bread should be golden brown and sound hollow when thumped.

9. Turn the bread out of the pan or sheet and let cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Tips & Warnings

• Add fresh herbs for herb bread.

• Roll the dough out, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over it and roll it into a loaf for cinnamon bread.

• Add raisins for raisin bread

• Supervise children closely when removing bread from oven. Do not let them touch the hot pans.

References

• Mother Earth News: Five Minutes a Day for Fresh-Baked Bread