Easy Yeast Bread With Variations

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• 5 1/2-7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 (1/2 ounce) packages dry yeast (1 tbsp = 1 pkg)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 2 eggs, beaten

Recipe

• 1 bread: (basic recipe).
• 2 lightly spooning flour into measuring cup & leveling off, measure out 2 1/2 cups flour. combine flour, dry yeast, sugar, & salt in a large mixer bowl; blend.
• 3 in a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, and oil; heat until very warm (120 to 130f).
• 4 add eggs and liquid to flour mixture.
• 5 mixing - blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at medium speed. with a wooden spoon, stir in an additional 3 to 3-1/2 cups of flour to form a sticky dough. in bowl or on a floured board, gradually work in 1/2 to 1-1/2 cups more flour, kneading or working in with hands until dough is smooth, pliable and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).
• 6 rising - place dough in a greased bowl; cover with a cloth or loose fit lid. let rise in a warm place until light and double in size, about 45 minutes.
• 7 shaping & baking:punch down dough to remove air bubbles; divide dough into two parts. from dough into desired shapes; place in greased pans according to shaping and baking directions (follows). cover, let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size, about 30 minutes. bake at 375*f according to shape until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped. immediately remove from pans; cool.
• 8 (if loaf becomes too brown, cover with tin foil during last 10 minutes of baking.).
• 9 whole wheat bread - (basic recipe).
• 10 follow bread recipe. after beating with mixer, stir in 3 cups of whole wheat flour in stead of , knead in 3/4 to 1-1/4 cups flour.
• 11 medium rye bread - (basic recipe).
• 12 follow bread recipe. after beating with mixer, stir in 3 cups medium rye flour instead of flour. knead in 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 cups flour (rye flour dough usually remains slightly sticky). rye dough should not completely double in size. add 1 tbsp freshly crushed caraway seeds with rye flour.
• 13 notes: at high altitudes (5000 feet plus) - after first rising, punch down dough and then allow to rise a second time in the bowl. decrease the first (and second) rising periods by 15 minutes each.
• 14 -----.
• 15 ingredient variations. (may be used in any of the above basic bread recipes). ingredients stirred in are added with the flour as it is stirred inches.
• 16 honey/molasses: substitute 1/4 cup for sugar. reduce milk to 3/4 cup.
• 17 brown sugar: substitute 1/4 cup (firmly packed) for the sugar.
• 18 rolled oats: stir in 1/2 cup.
• 19 wheat germ: stir in 1/2 cup.
• 20 cheese: stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar, american, monterey jack or swiss cheese.
• 21 herbs & spices: stir in 1/4 to 1/2 tsp celery seed or dill weed, or 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, or 2 tbsp minced chives, caraway or sesame seeds.
• 22 onion: stir in 1/2 cup, finely chopped.
• 23 raisins/chopped dates or other dried fruit: use sweet dough recipe; stir in 1-1/2 cups fruit.
• 24 -----.
• 25 specialty bread variations - (use basic bread recipe).
• 26 french bread: reduce sugar to 1 tbsp; omit milk and eggs; use 2 cups water; reduce stirred in flour to 1-1/2 to 2 cups. increase first rise to 1 hour. shape and bake according to shaping and baking directions.
• 27 french loaf or rolls: brush with beaten egg just before baking.
• 28 -----.
• 29 rich egg bread - (use basic bread recipe) increase sugar to 1/3 cup. decrease water to 3/4 cup. use 3 eggs.
• 30 -----.
• 31 south of the border loaf - (use basic bread recipe) decrease sugar to 1 tablespoons decrease milk to 1/2 cup. increase stirred in flour to 3-1/2 to 4 cups. with this flour, stir in the following: 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup chopped olives, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 to 4 tbsp minced green chilies (optional). shape and bake according to directions for regular or round loaves, or rolls.
• 32 -----.
• 33 sweet dough - (use basic bread recipe) increase sugar to 1/2 cup. eliminate water. use 2 cups milk. substitute butter or margarine for oil.
• 34 cinnamon swirl - (use sweet dough recipe) pat each half of dough into a 7x14-inch rectangle; spread with 1 tbsp butter or margarine. combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon; sprinkle half of mixture over each rectangle. starting with the 7-inch side, roll jelly-roll style. seal all edges tightly. shape and bake according to instructions for a regular loaf.
• 35 -----.
• 36 specialty dark bread variations - (follow whole wheat or medium rye basic recipes).
• 37 delicatessen rye bread - (use basic med-rye recipe} omit sugar, water and 1 egg. for warm liquid, heat 1-3/4 cups milk, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup cooking oil and 1 square unsweetened chocolate (chocolate does not need to melt). along with stirred in flour at 1 tbsp caraway seed (optional) stir in 1/4 to 1 cup flour with the rye flour. do let the dough to rise until double. increase first rise to about 1 hour and the second to about 40 minutes. increase the baking temperature to 400*f. bake loaves 30-40 minutes.
• 38 hearty whole wheat loaves - (use basic whole wheat recipe) substitute 1/4 cup brown sugar for the sugar. along with the stirred in flour add 1/2 cup each wheat germ and rolled oats and 2 tbsp sesame seeds. decrease kneaded in flour to 1/4 to 3/4 cup. increase first rise to about 1 hour.
• 39 light pumpernickel bread - (use basic med-rye recipe) eliminate sugar. decrease water to 3/4 cup. heat 1/4 cup molasses with other liquids. along with stirred in flour add 2 tbsp caraway seeds.
• 40 100% whole wheat bread - (use basic whole wheat recipe) eliminate flour. stir in 3 to 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour; knead in a further 1/2 to 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour.
• 41 ----------------------.
• 42 shaping and baking: use half of dough to make each shape. using solid shortening, generously grease pans. if desired, just before baking, slash top of loaf in any design using a sharp knife.
• 43 bake breads at 375*f: [u]all loaves[/u] - 35 to 45 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
• 44 all rolls - 10 to 20 minutes.
• 45 regular loaf: use a 9x5 or 8x4-inch loaf pan. press dough into pan; insert fingers between pan and dough to round edges.
• 46 round loaf: use an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, 1-1/2 quart round casserole or cookie sheet. form dough into round ball; flatten slightly.
• 47 french & oblong loaf: (use a large cookie sheet).
• 48 french: form dough into 14-inch loaf; taper ends.
• 49 oblong: form dough into 8 to 10-inch oblong loaf; round ends.
• 50 rope shaped loaves: shape half of dough into a 26-inch rope; form into any desired shape described below.
• 51 coil: use 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, 1-1/2 quart round casserole or cookie sheet. beginning at center of loaf, roll rope into snail shape; tuck tail under.
• 52 twist: use a 9x5 or 8x4-inch loaf pan or cookie sheet. cut rope in half to form two 13-inch ropes. twist together; seal ends.
• 53 figure eight: use a 9x5 or 8x4-inch loaf pan or cookie sheet. form rope into figure-eight; seal ends.
• 54 doughnut: use cookie sheet. form circle by bringing ends of rope together; seal. flatten circle to 1-1/2 inch thickness.
• 55 rolls - (use large cookie sheets).
• 56 round: form dough into 12 2-inch balls.
• 57 vienna: from dough into eight 6-inch oval rolls; flatten slightly.
• 58 breadsticks: cut dough into walnut size pieces. roll with hands into 5-inch sticks.
• 59 bread glazes - use any of the following glazes to create different crusts.
• 60 soft buttery crusts: brush loaves with softened or melted butter or margarine after baking.
• 61 crisp shiny crust: brush loaves with a mixture of 1 egg and 1 tbsp water just before baking. may be sprinkled with poppy or sesame seed.
• 62 delicatessen crust: remove loaves from oven 5 minutes before done; brush with a mixture of 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup water that has been heated to boiling. return to oven to finish baking.
• 63 cinnamon/sugar crust: brush loaves with 2 tbsp melted butter or margarine; sprinkle with mixture of 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon after baking.
• 64 slightly crisp, shiny sweet crust: brush loaves with a mixture of 1 tbsp each of sugar and water after baking.
• 65 from: http://www.recipelink.com/mf/31/10995.