Bread - DPChallenge Forums

06/23/2015 06:47:16 AM · #1

I hope this isn't very long. I'm posting this mainly to create awareness about the rubbish that is put into bread (even supermarket "fresh" bread), and also to explain that it's really super simple to bake your own bread.

We are unfortunate (or maybe fortunate) where I live in Pretoria East in South Africa in that you can't buy proper bread. Not even from the local specialist bakeries. All the bread has added soy flour and flour improvers. So I've resorted to baking my own bread - more on that below. Now I know wheat isn't the greatest thing to eat in terms of health, but it's far better than soy flour and preservatives, and it's also such a treat!

So my question - where do you live and can you buy proper bread (bread without additives, just wheat, yeast, water and sugar)?

I've had the privilege of finding out about the bad additives, and thus started baking my own bread. Life got a bit busy for a while and I stopped, and we resorted to supermarket bread. Now things are starting to calm down and I've started baking again. Oh my. Good old bread is SOOOO good! It's like day and night! I can't believe we lived on supermarket bread, even for one day!

Who bakes their own?

I've been trying to make the bread more healthy too, so I've started adding whole wheat to it. I've refined quite an easy recipe; it does make a small loaf, but at the rate we consume bread, it will stay fresh until the last slice, whereas a larger loaf would go stale. I've added the recipe below. I think if you double the recipe, you can add 1/4 cup water per double, but I'm not sure.

Ingredients:
2 cups of white bread flour
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of warm water
yeast (2 tsp instant yeast or 1 tbsp normal bread yeast will work fine)
2 tsp salt (less is usually fine too, but really - don't forget the salt!)
2 tbsp honey

Method:
- Add the water, yeast, salt and honey to the mixing bowl and whisk until mixed.
- Add the cup of whole wheat and use the whisk to mix in nicely (and gently - don't whisk, just use the whisk).
- Use a spoon and stir gently - the mixture should make gluten.
- Leave to start bubbling (about 15 minutes).
- Turn on the oven to warm to a maximum of 50 Celsius.
- Fold in the white bread flour with a spoon until a kneadable clump starts to form.
- Knead the dough gently, but thoroughly; it shouldn't make a mess, but should still be a little sticky (about 8 minutes).
- Cover the dough in flour and allow to rise in the mixing bowl, in the warm oven for about an hour - cover the mixing bowl with a damp cloth.
- Grease a small loaf tin.
- When the dough ball has about doubled, knead it down gently and shape into an oblong roll.
- Squash the dough into the loaf tin and allow to rise until a bit more than double. If rising is difficult (room temperature is <24 Celsius), fill a sink with some warm water and put the tin in (don't let the bread get wet though).
- Heat the oven to 190 Celsius.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from loaf tin and let stand for a few more minutes.

You can brush melted margarine or butter on the top crust while it cools a bit in the tin - this keeps the crust soft. For this recipe, I knead by hand - I haven't tried it in a machine, but I'm sure it will work.

Don't store your bread in the fridge; it will go stale in a day! You can freeze it though, but you have to eat it quite soon after thawing.

Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

06/23/2015 07:30:04 AM · #2

Make that a challenge suggestion :)

And to answer your questions: No, I'm not baking myself and yes, I can get any bread I want where I live (Germany), it's just a matter of cost and distance to the bakery or market.

primabarbara

Fujifilm X-T1

06/23/2015 08:45:55 AM · #3

Just like Oliver I live in Germany.
Bread is very strong in our culture and when I enter a bakery shop I have the choice of different varieties of bread - wheat, rye, dinkel wheat (my favourite) oat, whole grain or a mixture of all of it. Different recipes like lye rolls, french baguette, italian ciabatta or turkish pitabread add to the selection. I know this must sound like heaven for you - and it is!!!
When I have visitors from all over the world f.e. the U.S or Japan I usually take them to a bakery shop and they can't belive it- even the smell is overwhelmingly good.
When I was a young girl my mother used to bake the bread for our family herself, she made 2 big loaf which lasted about 10 days (though I have to admit that I liked it best the first two or three days!) She used wheat and rye at about 50% each and added sour dough - no yeast. But this was really time consuming, because sour dough needs much more time to raise the dough and she started f.e. Monday evening to have the bread ready on Tuedsday evening. Since we have so easliy access to so yummy and healthy bread nowadays I wouldn't take the effort to bake bread myself.

But I have great respect that you decided to feed your family in a healthier way - and even with more taste. Keep it up!
If you're interested I can ask my mother for the exact recipe. And if you ever decide to come to Europe just drop by and I'll show you my favourite bakery shop!

jgirl57

06/23/2015 08:58:51 AM · #4

I used to have my own bread maker until it busted.. It does take more time and more energy but in the long run so much better too, I found a bread I love without the added stuff and its called bimbo bread..
It is actually made locally 2hrs away and without the GMO in it. Plus it was cheaper to buy it than to make it, so why not..

It is as close as we can get naturally without the GMO stuff.

I still make homemade banana bread though

Message edited by author 2015-06-23 08:59:12.

Neat

Canon Canon 1d x Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

06/23/2015 09:00:47 AM · #5

Yes I use to make my own bread also when everyone lived at home, not so much now though. But nothing like home made bread, thing is it's so nice warm and hot, that I eat too much and get fat!

The worst bread I've tasted is in USA, sweet and sickly, you have to pay a bit more to get good bread over there. Best bread I've had is in Europe, the wholemeal ones not white, since that stuff will kill you in the end!

06/23/2015 09:04:02 AM · #6

primabarbara, yes! German breads are amazing. I visited Germany 15 years ago, but I have friends from Germany who visit there often - I love sourdough bread! But, yes, it's a lot of time. I'm going to try it soon.

Originally posted by jgirl57:

I still make homemade banana bread though

I love banana bread. We often have over-ripe bananas and banana bread is the only way. :)

06/23/2015 09:05:25 AM · #7

Originally posted by Neat:

thing is it's so nice warm and hot, that I eat too much and get fat!

Haha! Yes - I have to maintain discipline!

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

06/23/2015 09:47:32 AM · #8

I like toast

Olympus 300mm f/4.0 IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

06/23/2015 09:53:45 AM · #9

Originally posted by Tiny:

I like toast

That's why you're so

Tiny

Phocal

Olympus OM-1

06/23/2015 10:17:20 AM · #10

Not sure this would make a good challenge, at least not during DPL please

06/23/2015 10:21:54 AM · #11

Originally posted by Kobba:

Not sure this would make a good challenge, at least not during DPL please

Why? Everyone has access to bread...

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

06/23/2015 10:27:33 AM · #12

Originally posted by h2:

Originally posted by Tiny:
I like toast

That's why you're so Tiny

Thank you but I am not sure why toast = tiny .

I like biscuits too.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

06/23/2015 10:44:19 AM · #13

Originally posted by Tiny:

Originally posted by h2:

Originally posted by Tiny:
I like toast

That's why you're so Tiny

Thank you but I am not sure why toast = tiny .

I like biscuits too.

Try whole grain bread instead ;)
Biscuits are ok, though.

Ecce_Signum

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/23/2015 10:59:15 AM · #14

Bread is versatile, I made some loafers....

P-A-U-L

Canon EOS R6

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

06/23/2015 11:07:34 AM · #15

+1 to challenge idea - I love bread.

We are lucky in the UK to have a superb selection of bread. I struggle when I go to other countries and see their offerings. I would be very miserable without bread.

How about a bread making machine instead of all that kneeding - sounds like hard work especially if you need about 7 loaves a week.

pidge

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

06/23/2015 11:16:06 AM · #16

My go to is No Knead Bread. You can add anything you want in it, so I often make a bread with sweet stuff in it (e.g. nuts + chocolate) and a bread with savory stuff in it (e.g. olives + rosemary). I bring them to pot-lucks and everyone loves it.

You don't need a dutch oven to bake it, either. I've done it on the road in casserole dishes and it's perfect. I also have skipped the second proof. After the first rise, I just heat whatever I'm cooking it in and dump it straight and bake it. Delicious and no problems!

//cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread
ETA: clickable link

Message edited by author 2015-06-25 09:53:54.

mindbottling

Canon EOS R6

Canon RF 100mm F2.8 L MACRO IS USM

06/23/2015 11:58:38 AM · #17

I'm from a family of bakers. My dad started several artisan bakeries in the Pacific Northwest, one of which is now being run by my brother and step-mother. Sadly, I have discovered recently that bread/wheat products are upsetting my digestive system which is ironic considering how much I've rolled my eyes at the gluten-free fad. I'm really curious whether my digestive system would be happier with organically produced, sourdough, no preservatives, etc. but I'm still so new to this that I haven't figured out what works for me. That being said, MMmmMmMmmmm bread...

BrennanOB

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/23/2015 01:36:34 PM · #18

Originally posted by Nicht:

Don't store your bread in the fridge; it will go stale in a day! You can freeze it though, but you have to eat it quite soon after thawing.

In our world of proliferating kitchen devices, we seem to have lost one that was a staple in previous generations; The bread box.
A good bread box can extend the life of bread two to four times. What constitutes a good place to store your bread will depend on how humid your area is and the daily temperature swings. Here we have low humidity and a 40 degree temperature shifts from day to night in the summer, so we use a glass dome with a bit of ventilation. It keeps sliced bread edible for a few weeks, and a baguette lasts a few days instead of a few hours.

Wrap bread in plastic, put it in the freezer in foil or refrigerator in wax paper, whatever else; you will be changing the chemical bonds that make the bread you like into something else. Stable humidity, and lack of light are the keys to keeping bread longer.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

06/23/2015 02:10:27 PM · #19

I frequently make my own bread. while there are lots of artisan bakeries in town, there's something satisfying
about digging in there myself. Of course, when the food processor came into existence, it became much easier.
After the yeast has proofed just add it and other wet ingredients to the dry ones already in the processor and
whirl away until it comes nicely together. Turn it out, and with a few pats, it's ready to go into a bowl for
the first rising. I often throw a small quantity of either herbs de Provence or other spices in there to
add a little variety. I make a small enough quantity so the bread doesn't have time to go bad, but oh yes,
I remember the breadbox...and miss it.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/23/2015 04:55:44 PM · #20

Remember when "Is it bigger than a breadbox?" was a staple of the game "20 questions"? I bet if you asked that today 90% of the responses would be a blank questioning stare ...

"Sourdough" breads have yeast, but it is the natural yeast(s) floating about in the environment, instead of standardized baker's yeast* from a package.

If you really want to "experience fully" bread-making, look for The Tassajara Bread Book by Edward E. Brown, baker and cook at the Buddhist monastery near Carmel Valley, California.

*strains of yeasts specifically meant for other fermentations (i.e. wine, beer) are also readily available