How to Make Colored Breads

Homemade bread is a favorite among food lovers, and it is often associated with family gatherings. A great twist to traditional bread recipes is to add some color to the loaf. This makes it a perfect bread for celebrations or holidays, and the colors can be tailored to match the specific event.

Things You'll Need

• 1 large mixing bowl
• Several medium bowls
• 1 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water, room temperature
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Food coloring

Instructions

1. Determine how many colors you will be using in your bread and set aside that same number of medium sized bowls, as each color will be prepared separately in these bowls after mixing the main batch of dough in a large bowl.

2. Mix 1 tsp. active dry yeast, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. butter and 1 tsp. sugar in the large mixing bowl. Knead the dough on a well-floured surface until it becomes elastic in its consistency.

3. Oil the sides of the medium sized bowls, and add a few drops of the food coloring for each. Separate the dough into portions for each color, and place the pieces of dough in the bowls.

4. Knead the dough within the bowls, until you get the color spread uniformly. Add more food coloring as necessary.

5. Cover the bowls, place in a warm area, and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. Remove the dough from the bowls, place on a floured surface and deflate each piece by punching the dough.

6. Take the colored pieces of dough and twist them together to form the design of your choosing. Put the loaf in a lightly greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35- 40 minutes or until the bread is browned (you can see this even with the food coloring). Remove from the oven, allow it to cool, and enjoy!

References

• Book: From Our Hearts To Your Home, The Employees of Southwest Airlines, 1986
• Red, White and Blue Bread

Resources

• The Knead For Bread: Various Bread Recipes