The Most Delicious Homemade Bread Recipe

If you live in our house house, a no carb or gluten free diet is virtually impossible. Okay, it’s not impossible but it’s difficult. My husband LOVES to cook and he bakes homemade bread that is fantastic. Since we’ve been quarantined, he makes homemade bread at least once a week. He makes white bread, corn bread, pumpkin bread, you name it. He makes homemade pizza dough and the most delicious focaccia bread!

So, I figured sooner rather than later I should share a bread recipe. This is his basic bread recipe. If I’m honest, I’ve never made it. Bread is not my thing…to make that is…but I definitely love to eat it! This is the most delicious homemade bread recipe and my husband swears that it’s super simple to make. The smell of homemade bread baking in the oven, is definitely worth the effort!

Basic Bread Recipe

• 1 Package Active Dry Yeast
• 1/4 Cup Warm Water
• 3 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• Approx. 3 More Cups Flour
• Olive or Vegetable Oil

Instructions

This recipe assumes that you’re using a stand mixer to mix and kneed the dough. You can do this by hand, it would just be a bit more of a workout.

• Combine active dry yeast and 1/4 cup warm water. Wait a few minutes for it to active (it will become foamy).
• Add to the mixing bowl – 3 cups flour, warm water, melted butter, sugar and salt. Mix until combined. Dough will be really wet and sticky.
• Add 1/2 cup of additional flour at a time – mixing at slow speed. Add remaining flour until dough becomes smooth but still moist.
• Kneed dough in mixer for at least 10 minutes.
• Transfer dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm area. Let rise for 1-2 hours.
• Dough should be at least twice its size and soft and spongy.
• You can now form your dough into whatever you’d like to make loaves, baguettes or anything you’d like to make.
• Once shaped, cover again plastic wrap loosely and let rise another 1 and 1/2 hours. Your bread will again double in size.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for additional 25 minutes.

5 Tips for Even Better Homemade Bread

1. For a chewier style bread use bread flour.

2. Before transferring to the oven score your bread diagonally to allow steam from escaping and prevent the bread from cracking.

3. To achieve a crisp and brown exterior crust, add a pan filled with hot water to the oven.

4. To help the dough rise, warm up the bowl first before placing your dough in it (fill with warm water and empty).

5. Be sure to let the bread rest for a few minutes before cutting (30 – 60 minutes)

Essential Bread Supplies

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Stand Mixer – I love the color of this mixer and the glass bowl! Plus, this makes baking bread infinitely easier. You can definitely make bread without a mixer but it’s super easy if you have one. I’ve had mine for 15 years. My grandmother has had hers for nearly 60 years!

Baking Sheets – This two pack of baking sheets is just over $20. I can’t remember a day when I haven’t used mine and I’ve had similar ones for 15 years!

No Stick Sheets – If you do any baking you need these. Under $15 for two, they are an essential kitchen item. They also save you from adding extra oil to your baked items.

Baguette Pan – Who needs to go to Paris when you have these amazing baguette pans in your own kitchen?

Mini Loaf Pans – These are great for making a few small loaves of bread. I like the smaller loaves, they seem to stay fresher longer.

Happy Baking!

XOXO

–Erin