Breaking Bread

"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts."James Beard (1903-1985)

It is probably not in my best interest to lobby bread at a time when low carb diets have become the way of life. While I have my opinions regarding the adverse effects of carbohydrates, I am a firm believer of " everything in moderation". If you are going to eat a piece of bread, why not ensure that it's good?

I've baked for as long as I can remember but bread has never been part of my repertoire. Recently I gave into a sudden urge and tried a bread recipe and the results were fantastic. The shocker was how easy it is once you get started. Working with yeast takes a bit of practise but as long as you get it to bubble and froth the way it's supposed to, there shouldn't be a problem. It is also important to use the right kind of flour- it makes a big difference to the quality of the bread. There is some wait time between the various steps but once they come out of the oven, those babies will make you so proud.

I intend to try many more bread recipes but today's is a simple bread roll recipe. You can shape it whichever way you want or even stick it into a loaf tin - end results are good either way.

Recipe for Bread Rolls:

4 cups Bread flour

7 gms dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dried milk powder

1 tablespoon sugar

about 1 cup warm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Start by stirring the tablespoon of sugar into the 1/2 cup warm water and adding in the yeast. Place in a warm spot close to the stove( do not heat it) until the mixture appears to grow and froth. This should take about 10 minutes. If it fails, throw it out and try again.

Next, sift the flour into a large bowl and using the dough hook of the mixer or a wooden spoon combine the yeast mixture, salt, sugar and milk powder into it. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, yeast mixture and warm water. Knead well for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Make into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a plastic wrap till it doubles in size. Preheat the oven to 415° F( 210°C).

Once the dough is double its volume, punch it down, and knead for another minute or so.( Great therapy) Shape and glaze the dough with an egg wash. An egg wash is a mixture of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk whisked together. Brushing this on before baking, gives the bread a rich color. Bake on greased trays or tins for 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350° F ( 180°C) and bake for another 30- 40 minutes.

Note: Do not substitute bread flour with all purpose flour- end results will be lumpy and dense. Black or white sesame seeds scattered over the tops add flavor and interest to the rolls.