Bread-Baking

I have been having the hardest time learning to bake bread. I don't know if my yeast was bad or if my flour wasn't right or if I was killing the yeast or I wasn't kneading it enough but it has never come out right.

Jodi at Curious Acorn,graciously showed me how to bake bread properly and it came out lovely!

Bread-making Tips:

- Keep your yeast in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong its life.

- Always use a small measuring cup and another cup to fill it. That way you get a better measurement as the flour won't compact as much.

- Knead for the duration that the recipe calls for, it is necessary. 

- A regular lamp is enough heat for the dough to rise near.

- Put a warm, moist towel over the bowl to help it rise.

-Putting a metal tray of water in the oven while baking bread helps develop a darker crust.

-Baking on a baking stone helps the bread form a good crust.

It tuned out nice. We used a recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking. It is a different style dough than normal bread but Jodi showed me how to make normal breads too and the difference between regular dough and "no knead dough." 

We also looked at a colonial recipe that I am hoping to reduce soon and try to bake. The original recipe calls for a peck of flour (about 225 or so cups) and to bake the dough in five pound loaves!