Soft Crust French / Italian Yeast Bread

Intro: Soft Crust French / Italian Yeast Bread

Simple recipe when you've gotta be at home for 3 hours.

I love the taste of French or Italian bread but not the crusty crust, so I tweaked basic recipes.

Recipe:

3 Cups Bread Flour

1 1/4 Cup Water

1 Tablespoon Honey

2 1/4 teaspoons Yeast ( 1 package)

2 teaspoons salt

STEP 1: Tools and Ingredients

Tools:

2 Large Bowls

2 Loaf Pans

Wire Wisk

1 C Dry Measure

2 C Wet Measure

1 teaspoon measure

1/2 teaspoon measure

Soup Spoon

Graham Kerr Scraper (Optional)(but very handy)

Apron

Ingredients:

Bread Flour

Yeast

Water

Honey

Salt

Pam

STEP 2: Feed Your Yeast

Add honey to water and warm to 105-115 degrees.

Measure out 1 Cup of the flour, add yeast, add honey water and mix with wire whip.

Set aside for 10 mins.

Set measuring cup with wire whip and spoon in sink and fill with water.

STEP 3: Mixing It All Together

The yeast should be bubbly.

Add flour and salt half at a time and mix well after each addition.

STEP 4: Knead the Dough

Dump the dough out of the bowl onto flour.

Put bowl and spoon in sink and fill with water.

Knead dough until you can't knead no more. Approx. 5 mins.

Adding flour as you turn and fold and knead so it doesn't stick to your hands or counter.

STEP 5: Pam and Washing Up

Pam or butter large bowl and baking tins. (might as well do them at the same time)

Put dough in bowl, lightly spray with Pam and cover with saran/glad/generic wrap.

Place in warm place for 1 hour. (I use my oven)(turned off, of course)

Use the scraper and clean your counter top. (it's like a small dust pan)

Wash all dishes while waiting.

STEP 6: Rise, Punch, Rise, Clean Your Pinball Game

When dough has risen punch it down, fold it over, then cover and let rise for another hour.

Do more cleaning.

(My Lord of the Rings pinball game needs some attention.)

STEP 7: Turn Out, Divide, Roll

It rose again, and now you need to divide it.

I use a scale to try and keep them equal.

The dough is not sticky and will release from the counter top pretty easily.

You shouldn't need flour.

Roll your dough into a log shape and throw it in the loaf pan.

STEP 8: Roll Out, Roll Up, Pinch, Throw Them in the Pans

Take the other blob and shape it into a rectangle.

Roll it up tightly and pinch the seam and ends closed.

Throw it in the other pan, cover and let rise for 45 mins.

STEP 9: Finishing

Preheat oven to 385 degrees, pop them in, then take out when done.

Approx. 20-25 mins. Internal thermometer reading (yes, you have to poke them) of at least 170 degrees.

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Slice and enjoy.

(no, I don't know why they have air bubbles, it's the first time that happened. Of course)

If you dedicate a shelf and tools to just making bread, it's a whole lot funner and easier.

Comments

[indywave]

Um.... Dose it have to be bread flour or can I use all purpose flour

[cpurola]

I haven't tried it with all purpose yet. hmmmm...
Maybe you could give it a go and let us know how it turns out?

[Penolopy Bulnick]

Yum! I'm not fond of the crusty crust either! How did you warm your honey water in step 4, microwave?

[cpurola]

Hi! Yep, the good 'ol Microwave and for mine, approx. 1 min.