AN EASY HOMEMADE BREAD RECIPE — JUST FIVE INGREDIENTS

AN EASY HOMEMADE BREAD RECIPE — JUST FIVE INGREDIENTS

Ingredients

2 Cups of Warm Water

2/3 Cup Honey

1 3/4 Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

6 Cups Bread Flour

DIRECTIONS

1-In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water and honey until honey is dissolved. Add yeast, and cover with a towel.

2-In about 10-20 minutes, your mixture should look delightfully frothy.

3-Mix in your salt, and then add the bread flour one cup at a time. (Use the whisk for the first three cups and then switch to a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for the last three cups.)

4-Add a little extra flour to your hands and knead the dough, about 5 minutes. (Knead the dough right in the large mixing bowl. It keeps your counter cleaner.) Place kneaded dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with the towel.

5-After an hour, your dough should have risen significantly.

7-Punch the dough for awhile then knead again for a couple of minutes. *Divide into two lightly greased loaf pans and cover with your towel once more.

8-After allowing the dough to rise for 30 minutes in the loaf pans, bake in a preheated oven at 325 for 30-35 minutes.

9-A lot of bread recipes use an oven at 350, 325 works better if you use honey.

Apple Cinnamon Loaf

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 apple, peeled and chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.

Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

AMISH CINNAMON BREAD

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:

2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.

Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups canned pumpkin

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

3 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

3⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Heat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat until well mixed. Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves into a separate bowl and stir until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and dust with flour. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans by inverting onto a rack and tapping the bottoms. Slice and serve plain, buttered, or with cream cheese.

JAMAICAN BANANA BREAD

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or pina colada flavored!!)

3 tablespoons dark rum OR apple cider

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon flaked sweetened coconut

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool completely on wire rack.

Best Banana Bread Ever

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed banana (3 - 4)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1 Cream shortening and add sugar gradually, mix in eggs and banana.

2 In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients together and add them to the creamed mixture.

3 Then add the milk, sour cream and vanilla& mix till combined.

4 Grease 1 bundt pan or 2 bread pans, pour in batter and bake for 1 hour (or until done) at 350°F

Christmas Spiced Loaf

Christmas Spiced Loaf

This festive bread can be made ahead and frozen and makes a lovely treat for breakfast on Christmas morning

Serves 6-8

Prep time:  2 hours 40 minutes

Cooking time:  1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

450g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

Pinch of salt

2 tsp mixed spice

115g unsalted butter, chilled & diced

7g sachet easy blend dried yeast

115g unrefined caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

115g currants

115g raisins

50g mixed peel, chopped

1 orange, zest only

1 egg, beaten

150ml milk, warmed

Vegetable oil, for oiling

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

Preparation method

1.  Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the yeast, sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel and orange zest, then add the egg and the warm milk and bring together to form a soft dough.

2.  Knead the dough briefly on a floured work surface.  Flour a clean bowl and add the dough.  Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and oil a 900g loaf tin.  Knead the dough again briefly then pace it in the tin, cover and leave to prove for 20 minutes.  Use a little egg wash to brush the loaf, and sprinkle with a little caster sugar and ground cinnamon.

4.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, the loaf should be golden and well risen.  Leave to cool in the tin.

Sticky Gingerbread

Sticky Gingerbread

A deliciously spicy and sticky ginger cake originating from northern England – brings back childhood memories of family Sunday teas.

Serves 10 pieces

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

225g/8 oz self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground mixed spice

115g/4 oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced

115g/4 oz golden syrup

115g/4 oz dark brown muscovado sugar

275ml/9 fl oz milk

1 free range egg, beaten

Method

1.       Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

2.      Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large bowl.  Add the butter and rub into the flour with the tips of your fingers until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs.

3.      Pour the treacle and syrup into a small pan and melt gently until runny and then set aside.

4.      Put the sugar and milk into another pan and gently heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Set aside until lukewarm then whisk the milk into the flour mixture followed by the treacle mixture and then the egg.  Mix all together until you have a thick batter just like double cream.

5.      Pour into a 900g/32 oz loaf tin about 26cm x 13cm x 7cm , greased with butter and lined with grease proof paper.  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer put into the centre comes out clean.  Leave to cool then remove from the tin and wrap in foil for at least a day before cutting it.  The bread will get stickier the longer you leave it.

Stuffed Focaccia

Stuffed Focaccia

A most warming and fragrant rustic bread stuffed with Spinach, Parmesan, Olives, Mozzarella & Herbs... I can only describe this as moreish – you can’t get enough of it!

Serves 6

Prep time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

450g/16oz Strong Plain White Flour, sifted

7g/2 tsp dried yeast

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

300 ml warm water

100g/3 ½ oz spinach

125g/4 ½ oz mozzarella cheese, chopped

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

4 tbsp/16 kalamata olives, pitted & chopped

2 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp rosemary, chopped (plus extra for decoration)

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Sea salt for sprinkling

Method

1.  Place the flour in a large bowl and mix in the yeast, make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and water.  Mix together.

2.  Do not worry if the dough is too wet and sticky just add extra flour.  Knead the mixture on to a floured surface for at least 10 minutes until you have smooth and elastic dough.  Put the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours until it has almost doubled in size.

3.  Meanwhile blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.  Squeeze the spinach to remove all excess water and place in a bowl with the mozzarella, olives, thyme and rosemary. Season and mix well.

4.  Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.  Brush a 25cm loose cake tin with oil.  Punch the dough and divide it into two pieces, roll one piece slightly bigger than the other.  Place the larger piece on the bottom of the tin and mould the dough around the sides so it is slightly higher than the base.

5.  Spread the spinach mixture over the base and leave a gap 1cm from the edge.  Brush the edge with water and place the other rolled piece of dough on top pressing the edges to seal.

6.  With your finger press the dough all over and pierce in places with small snips of rosemary and then brush with extra virgin olive oil.  Sprinkle the bread with sea salt and place in the oven for 30 minutes until risen and firm.

7.  Remove the focaccia from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes in the tin and then place on a wire rack to cool slightly.  Serve whilst warm.

Cooks Tips

*  If you are lucky to have some focaccia leftover it will make a delicious lunch.