Baking Bread

My latest project (I am never without one) is learning how to bake bread. I'm not sure how I got on this kick. It's probably because I love fresh bread, and the really good stuff costs a fortune from our local bakery or market. I also finally mastered the art of making a Belgian Fruit Tart that is nearly as good as the ones we used to buy in Brussels. That process took me making probably 20 or so tarts, tweaking the recipe each time, and (while still in Brussels) buying the real deal from our local patisserie and taste testing (they are that good and I could not come back to the U.S. without the ability to recreate such an amazing dessert). I'll have to do a blog post on the tart next time I make one . . .

Back to bread. So I've baked bread now twice. The first time I made basic French baguettes. The second I made Honey Wheat Bread. Each time I was amazed that it wasn't nearly as difficult as I had expected. Using yeast isn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. And they were actually pretty good (though not great, and as I'm a perfectionist I'll continuing trying recipes and learning techniques until I can make a loaf of bread I can't live without).

Here we are making the Honey Wheat Bread.

Whisking the dry ingredients.

Adding the warm, foamy yeast mixture.

The mixed-up dough, just before kneading.

Grayson loves to knead the dough.

The dough after it has risen.

This recipe calls for baking the dough in bread pans. I realized halfway through the process that, um, I only own one bread pan and it was in my freezer with a half a casserole in it. So instead I formed the dough into baguettes and hoped it would work out ok (it did).

I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. But here is the French Baguette I made a few weeks earlier. Yummy!

Here is the Whole Wheat Bread recipe I followed. It was pretty good, though a bit salty for my taste.

Ingredients

Makes 2 loaves.
3 1/2 cups warm water, 100 degrees to 110 degrees
3 tablespoons honey
2 packets active dry yeast
4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons salt

Canola oil, for bowls, plastic wrap, and pans

Directions

1. Combine warm water, honey, and yeast in a large liquid-measuring cup. Stir until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups of the bread flour, the whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually drawing in the flour until well combined.
3. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead in the remaining 1/2 cup bread flour a little at a time until dough is smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Transfer to a warm place, and let rise until double its original size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Brush two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with canola oil. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and punch down. Divide dough into two equal pieces. Flatten one piece of dough into an oval, and roll up lengthwise. Place the roll, seam-side down, into a prepared pan. Repeat process with second piece. Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Place the loaves in a warm place, and let rise again until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. Bake until deep golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes (the loaves will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom). Transfer pans to a rack, and let cool 5 minutes. Invert the loaves onto the rack to cool completely.