flour belly ~

Okay, my bread baking has officially started. If I make something twice in a row, I know it is more likely to become a habit in my kitchen, especially if I start seeing better results with each making. First time go round, I wasn’t too pleased with my efforts, but with the way my family reacted, I knew I had no choice but to make more bread to make them happy! Also, I really did want to become better at it. Last night was my 2nd attempt. I immediately saw that my dough was better, right off the bat, and I didn’t have to add as much flour while kneading as I did the first go round. I saw this bread being made on You Tube, you can find the video here. It was humorous, but it was what I needed, simple, to get me started. Once thing I changed this time, is when I made the dough sponge, I wisked it up a bit to make it frothy, I had read in The Bread Bible that it would make the bread lighter. But all in all, this really is a simple bread recipe.



Dough Sponge
1/3 cup flour
1 ½ cups hot tap water
1 packet yeast
1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Wisk and sit 10-15 minutes (or while you tuck the kids into bed like I did)

Mix in:
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons oil
3 cups flour gradually

Mix together in bowl until dough is sticky and stingy
Take and knead on floured surface 8-10 minutes

Once you have a nice, smooth, springy mass of dough, oil bowl and place dough in bowl.
Let rise 1-2 hours or until doubled.
Stick finger in, should leave hole when it’s ready.

Cut in ½, knead loosely and shape into elongated shapes.

Bake 20-30 minutes on 350. Let cool 10 minutes.