handmade bread

thriftlady_2

thriftlady wrote: »

Soft bread rolls -makes about 15

Mix in a large bowl

1½ lbs white bread flour
½ lb wholemeal bread flour
you can use all white flour if you want white rolls
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
4 tsp easy-blend yeast

Stir in

½ pint hand-hot milk
½ pint hand-hot water
I generally use milk from the fridge and then top it up with just-boiled water

Knead the dough for about 4 mins, until smooth and elastic.

Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 1½ hours.

.

Sweet variation I made these today

After the dough has risen roll it into a rectangle about 1 cm thick. Spread with soft butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Fold one third over and the other third over that (like a business letter), turn and roll out again, repeat the butter and sugar, fold as before and do the whole thing again -butter, sugar and this time a handful of currants (or other dried fruit).

Roll again and cut into rounds, or just tear into blobs (the last few ended up like this and they were great). Place on a greased baking tray, cover with a damp cloth and prove for about 20 mins. Bake for 10 mins at 210-220c. They may need a bit longer depending how big they are.

thriftlady_2

Me again for more adventures with bread see here.

Penelope_Penguin

thriftlady wrote: »

Me again for more adventures with bread see here.

In the time it's taken me to read this thread, and then give thrifty's thread a plug, she's done it herself :rotfl:

I have a BM which is invaluable for fresh HM bread on the days that I'm at w*** I accept that it's not terribly exciting, but it'd better than supermarket bread for packed lunches and toast.

As you'll see from the above thread, when I have time (nearly every weekend) I make handmade bread. I love experimenting with ingredients, but it's doing nothing for my waistline - thanks thriftlady :rolleyes:

Penny. x

sillyvixen

i keep meaning to make bread rolls by hand from scratch for the freezer. the reason being we dont eat much bread so a small shop loaf is usually only half used by the time its past its best, so i tend to use parbaked rolls in the freezer and take the required amount out as and when, to have lovely home made rolls in the freezer would be so much better - although i may have to start eating more bread if they turn out well.

Mellika

What's the difference between rising and proving?

thriftlady_2

Mellika wrote: »

What's the difference between rising and proving?

They are the same thing really. Proving is sometimes called the 'second rising'. You prove the bread after you have knocked back the dough -that is, got rid of any air bubbles. This gives it an even texture. When you've done that you set it to rise again or to 'prove' that the yeast still works

Some breads don't require proving-flat breads like pizza dough for instance.

lumpy_bum

what a disaster mine were
first the dough was mega sloppy, i got the mixer with the dough hooks on it for 5 mins like it said, then made 5 little balls, or so i thought. but me being the dufus that i am, i put it on grease proof paper:( idiot i am!!!
not only did they take ages to cook but they all stuck to the paper and are as hard as concrete
i did taste on though and it was very nice:p

i also made a steam pudding in the microwave which bodged too... im normally okay at cooking too

webitha

thriftlady can i ask how mush fresh yeast would i use in your soft bread rolls as i dont really like dried yeast and my rolls never seem to work
my bread on the other hand yummy, i have to make 2 at the sme time to stop my vultures eating the one for sarnies while its still warm lol

Biggles

Bunny200 wrote: »

Previously only managed pizza bases and had problems with leaving the dough to rise, my kitchen isn't very warm in the day (turned the heat off to save pennies!) and I don't have an airing cupboard, do you think it would be ok to put the oven on low and put the dough in there?

If you turn the thermostat up until it just clicks 'on' and leave it, that should produce about the right temperature for the bread to double in size in about an hour.

But take care, this could well vary considerably from one oven to another.

Justamum

thriftlady wrote: »

Justamum is quite right -and not just because I like her avatar .

Scrummy isn't he?

thriftlady wrote: »

It is also unecessary to knead it for 10 mins -3-4 mins is enough. Some recipes don't require kneading at all -see first post.

I knead it until the texture changes and it goes smooth - just a couple of minutes is enough. It's quite satisfying when you can feel the dough get to that stage.

thriftlady wrote: »

You may well get a nice loaf from a breadmaker but the sense of satisfaction and sheer pride when you take a batch of your own bread from the oven never goes away.

You're right there thriftlady - there's nothing I like more than seeing my loaves cooling on the rack.