I have a well-earned reputation as a bread baking failure when it comes to anything that includes yeast. However, last year I gave a new recipe a try, one that was made in a Dutch oven and that people said was super easy. It was a success! Looked great and tasted even better. My confidence was boosted and I've made it a handful of times since then. The only problem with that particular bread is that it's a long process from start to finish, sorta inconvenient.
I decided at the beginning of this year that I was going to master the art of baking with yeast and branch out from the one recipe I had been successful with. I wasn't going to tell anyone of my plan until I'd had success with three different recipes, though.
1/29/14 - I made two loaves of white bread.
I don't think I've ever bought white bread and the kids, who don't mind the bread I buy, thought it was a huge treat. It was plain ol' white bread, not a lot of flavor or anything, but it turned out perfectly.
"Wow, you made those?!"
"This is like the best bread ever!"
2/7/14 - I made two loaves of cracked wheat and honey bread.
We had soup and toast on the menu and were snowed in, so I figured it was a good day to give another recipe a try. If it failed, then I'd just used store-bought bread for our toast.
"Oh, this is really good!"
"I can taste the honey."
2/8/14 - I made focaccia.
I didn't have any intention of baking bread yesterday, but a friend posted a link to this recipe on Facebook. I was already in the kitchen baking 3 1/2 dozen apple buttermilk bran muffins, so I decided to dirty some more dishes and give it a shot.
"I want this for my birthday dinner! Or every day."
"I give this a 20 (on our scale of 1-5 for new recipes)."
There are two things I've done differently with these recipes than with previous ones, which I think is why they've turned out as something other than bricks.
First, I bought yeast at Costco. I used to buy the little packets at Winco, but so many friends who are successful break bakers say they get their yeast at Costco that I figured it couldn't hurt to do the same. I don't know if it's fresher or not, but it was worth a try for me. I just put the big package in a ziploc bag and store it in the fridge.
Second, I started letting dough rise in the oven with the light on. We keep a cool house and I think that's why I've always struggled to get my dough to rise. At some point in the past someone mentioned that oven lights put out just enough heat to let dough rise. They were right!
Three new yeast recipes. Three successes. And we're not even halfway through February! Guess it's time for a new goal.
4 comments:
So proud of you.
Truly.
And jealous.
Please figure out how to make amazing gluten-free pita and then post the recipe. MMkay? :>)
Heather - If I ever *create* bread recipes, then the world will probably stop spinning. :)
Hooray! Your bread is lovely. The happy eaters are the best indicator of a job well done. Beautiful bread, Bethany!
Susan
Those look really good!!! I've been baking bread for years and when I started I made lots of mistakes like a hole in the middle, so I am totally impressed! Baking bread is so fun and so easy once you get the hang of it. My friend made a video of me teaching people how to bake bread because so many people wanted me to teach them, but we messed the video up and couldn't upload it and then lost it. Anyway, good job!!!
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