Learn how to make bread. Bread is a staple food for most homes. Whether it be a loaf for sandwiches or rolls for soup accompaniments or even specialty breads for a special occasion, learning bread making is a great homesteading skill and a frugal tip for all homes.
Here are my three most used bread recipes for you to try. The basic bread recipe can have additions to it to make a variety of specialist breads. However if you prefer you can just bake the basic recipe and have a white farmhouse loaf.
These are all hand made bread recipes, but if you feel you are going to only make your own bread and not buy from the store anymore, I suggest that you invest in a bread machine which you can set in the evening and have fresh bread each morning. Take a look at my side margins for my best recommendations.
Basic bread recipe:
3 x 7gram sachets of yeast
30g/1oz of honey
625ml/1 pint tepid water
1kg/2lb bread flour
30g/1 oz salt
Extra flour
Step #1
Dissolve honey and yeast in 1/2 the warm water. Allow to stand in a warm spot until frothy.
Step #2
In a big bowl mix the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre and put the yeast mixture in. Use a strong wooden spoon to mix until your have relatively well formed dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Take a look at this very short video on the kneading part in how to make bread:
Flour the bowl and place the dough back in it and allow to stand in a warm spot until double its size.
Step # 3
Remove from the bowl and gently knock the air out.
Step #4
Now you can shape your dough into a round loaf or flat loaf or you can put it in a greased bread tin. When it has again doubled in size, cook it for about 40 minutes at 200 deg Celsius (400 deg F).
Quick and easy whole wheat bread:
14 cups stoneground whole wheat flour. This is a very dense whole wheat bread but its delicious. Also it makes 2 loaves. This is how to make bread the easy way!
2 pkts dry yeast
4 tsp herbal salt
4 tsp honey
6 – 7 cups warm water.
Mix flour, yeast and salt
Dissolve honey in 1 cup water
Add to the flour mixture and other water til you have a moist sticky dough. Do not knead. put into 2 greased oaf tins. Cover allow to rise for 20 minutes.
Bake at 100 deg C for 1 hr.
I have also added grated baby marrow and reconstituted sun dried tomatoes before for a change.
My favourite oat bread:
This is yeast less bread with a low GI that I love to make with my home made soups.
150ml oats
250ml oat bran
375ml sifted stone ground flour
250ml white bread flour
1t salt
4t baking powder
4t brown sugar
1 egg beaten
200ml low fat milk
25ml water
Mix your dry ingredients, then mix your liquid, then mix them together. This makes a moist dough. Work it into a ball with your hands, if it sticks use some oat bran on your hands. Cook immediately on a greased baking tray at 180 deg Celsius for I hour.
Be sure to learn how to make butter to go on your fresh homemade bread!
