Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Mmmmmmm

I love days when we're not too busy and can spend most of the day at home. Here's one reason:



15 minutes later:



And 5 minutes after that:



If only I could bake more than four loaves at once!

Fresh, warm bread with butter has to be on the top ten list of best-tasting foods in the universe.

7 comments:

Harmony said...

Amen!

Lisa said...

Very nicely raised, those loaves. I've been using my sister's "no-knead" recipe lately, but they don't achieve that kind of height. Are you a kneader or a no-kneader?

Tamary said...

I knead this recipe. It works just fine without dough enhancers or conditioners, as long as I knead it thoroughly. I've tried one or two no-knead recipes, but they didn't come out with the texture I wanted. We use ours for sandwiches and toast, so it has to have a good firm texture for thin slices.

Andrea M said...

I agree with you 100%. The only thing that rivals this is fresh from the garden....creamed peas and baby potatoes. Mmmmmmmm. But anything hot with drizzled butter just really can't be topped. Maybe that is why I look the way I do......BUTTER. Now I know what I want when I come for a visit.....your homemade bread.

Holly said...

I TOTALLY agree!

Claudia Orgill said...

Your bread looks fabulous! What's the secret recipe?

Tamary said...

It's no secret. I got the basic recipe out of the Deseret Cookbook published by the LDS Church, then tweaked it a little to get the taste and texture we like.

5 cups very warm water
1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, or honey (sometimes we throw in some molasses too)
2 packages or 4 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix this together till the yeast is mostly dissolved.

Add:
About 5 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix well.

Then add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too tough to mix with a spoon. (Usually about 5 more cups.)

Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, until the dough holds together and is elastic and not very sticky. Then knead another few minutes. Grease or spray the mixing bowl and put the dough in. Turn the dough over, then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise till double.

With oiled hands, punch down dough and shape into four loaves. Place in greased loaf pans, cover and let rise till about 1 inch above the pan. Bake in the middle of a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool. Don't forget to slice off a heel, butter it, and eat it while it's still warm!