Bread Help Needed

[BettyR]

I found this recipe on another forum, the lady that posted the recipe posted some pictures, and they looked really good. It's hard to tell what bread is going to taste like from a picture so I was wondering if someone with bread baking experience could tell me what he or she thought of this recipe. I can buy all the ingredients at the grocery except the dough conditioner; I figured that I would just leave that out.
Thanks,
Betty


Whole Wheat Honey Bread

1/3-cup honey
1/3 cup shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-3/4 cup scalded milk
1/2-cup cool water
3 large eggs
5 heaping tablespoons vital wheat gluten (store in freezer)
1 heaping tablespoon of dough conditioner
2 cups whole-wheat flour (store in the freezer)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (stirred to fluff then spooned)
2 teaspoons yeast (store in the freezer)

In the mixer bowl place the honey, shortening, salt, and scalded milk. Stir with a rubber spatula until all ingredients are dissolved and shortening is melted. Then add the eggs, water, vital wheat gluten, dough conditioner, whole-wheat flour and 1 cup of the AP-flour.

With the paddle attachment beat this mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the yeast and beat 2 more minutes. Place the dough hook into the machine and add the last 2-1/2 cups of AP-flour. Knead with the dough hook for 22-25 minutes.

Allow dough to rise to the top of the bowl. Cut into two equal pieces and form into loaves and place into prepared loaf pans and spray very well with no-stick spray.

Preheat oven to 325°. Bake bread for 48 minutes. Remove loaves from pan and allow to cool on cooling racks.

[qahtan]

This is some of my whole wheat, made with out any conditioners etc, I just swapped 1 1/2 cups of white flour for home milled whole wheat flour.... I use butter, and you could swap the sugar for honey if you want...... qahtan




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[BettyR]

Thanks for the pictures they look really great!!

What recipe did you use?
Betty

[qahtan]

Basic white bread

5 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
2 1/4 cup water give or take
1 table spoon sugar
3 tablespoons butter.

I jiggle at will, add stuff like cheese, etc or increase amounts. qahtan

[BettyR]

Does this make a good sandwich bread?

I've been reading a bit and most sandwich breads use either scalded milk or dry milk for softer bread; do you ever use milk?

How long does this bread stay fresh on the counter?

With that many loaves, do you freeze some of them?

Thanks for your help I really appreciate it.
Betty

[qahtan]

What I am not going to use, I put in the freezer, I can't see the point of baking one loaf at a time. This is that same dough baked in a pullman pan.

I does stale quicker than shop bought, but then most shop bought is not what you call bread, :-)))

qahtan

[BettyR]

Thank you qahtan,
I really appreciate your help. I'm looking forward to doing some experimenting and trying my hand at some different breads. I've been making that no-knead bread and it's very good but I'd like to try my hand at some sandwich bread.
Betty

[KyleW]

The flavor of bread is as much a function of how it's made as what's in it Flavor is developed by the mystical manipulation of time and temperature, from first mix to fresh from the oven.

I'm not a big fan of conditioners and vital wheat gluten either. You can bake great 100% Whole Wheat bread without either.

[BettyR]

Originally Posted by KyleW

The flavor of bread is as much a function of how it's made as what's in it Flavor is developed by the mystical manipulation of time and temperature, from first mix to fresh from the oven.

I'm not a big fan of conditioners and vital wheat gluten either. You can bake great 100% Whole Wheat bread without either.

Could you post your recipe? I'd appreciate any help that I can get.

[newbiechef]

since we are speaking of breads here... has anyone ever tried a sourdough bread? ive been thinking about making a starter and everything from scratch... also has anyone also done like sweet loaf breads? like something i could put dried fruit into? could i use like a sweet roll dough, but instead of rolling it out and what not just bake it as a loaf? or should i be using a different kind of recipe all together? thanks... bread looks awesome by the way everyone.

[MikeLM]

And, since we are speaking of breads here, there's an interesting aside in the latest Cook's Illustrated (March-April '07) about storing bread...

"...bread does not keep well in the refrigerator.

"...tests have shown that baked goods such as cookies, cakes, and muffins actually stale faster in the refrigerator that at room temperature. ...these same items can be stored perfectly well in the freezer for long periods of time."

They go on with an explanation for this- it's on page 30 of the issue. This was news to me. I am kind of snowed by their recital of all the tests and permutations of recipes that they do, so I guess I will accept this.

Off topic, but interesting...
CI also said a test showed that ginger was best kept in the refrigerator unwrapped because a baggie trapped moisture and led to mold growth much faster. On-counter storage was also worse.

Mike



Mike

[Jock]

Originally Posted by newbiechef

since we are speaking of breads here... has anyone ever tried a sourdough bread? ive been thinking about making a starter and everything from scratch... also has anyone also done like sweet loaf breads? like something i could put dried fruit into? could i use like a sweet roll dough, but instead of rolling it out and what not just bake it as a loaf? or should i be using a different kind of recipe all together? thanks... bread looks awesome by the way everyone.

Sourdoughs are very popular and there have been many discussions on the subject. Click on the search link at the top of this page and type in Sourdough.

I had a starter (or Barm as it is sometimes called) in the fridge for about 3 years until I broke the glass jar it was in when I was feeding it one day Peter Reinhart (Crust & Crumb, The Bread Baker's Apprentice, etc.) says that unless you are making sourdoughs regularly and frequently there is no benefit to keeping a starter going for extended periods except for the bragging rights. Making a starter is not difficult and it makes a superior loaf IMO.

For a sweet bread with dried fruit, try a Panetone. I'm not a big fan of them but if you like that sort of thing...

Jock

[BettyR]

Jock,
I have seen that book ‘The Bread Baker's Apprentice’ mentioned several times in my quest to learn about making bread. Do you think this would be a good book for a newbie bread baker or is this book written for people who already have a basic knowledge of the craft?

I noticed that 'The Bread Baker's Apprentice' is one of the books that are being offered by my book club as a selection that can be purchased with bonus points. I have enough bonus points to purchase the book at no extra cost but I need to know if I will be able to understand it once I have it.
Thanks,
Betty

[KyleW]

Buy the book Betty! It is a great resource for both new and experienced bread bakers. Peter Reinhart is a great teacher.

[BettyR]

KyleW,
Thank you, I'm going to do that.
Betty