Foam’s Light Bread
Ingredients:
3 ¼ C Sifted GP Flour
¼ C Sugar
¼ C Olive oil or (lard)
1C Warm water ( ½ C + ½ C)
1 each egg, at room temp.
Large mixing bowl, sift 3 ¼ C of flour and ¼ C sugar, add a double pinch of salt.
Proofing the yeast (Checks it to ensure its potent)
In a warm 2C measuring cup add the whole egg in its shell and place under running hot water for a min. or two. I keep my eggs in the reefer so they are cold. Remove the egg and set aside.
Fill ½ C of luke warm water to the measuring cup with a little sugar and a little flour mix till dissolved. Sugar and flour…. Maybe ¼ teaspoon. The yeast needs something to eat so it can become gassy. Add a package and a little yeast and dissolve. Wrap in a tea towel to keep warm while it percolates for about 5 mins.
After a few mins if you can see foam floating its alive! Add the egg, and I add maybe a ¼ C of honey. Mix well and add to the flour mixture. Now fill the cup with the other ½ cup of hot water and swirl to clear the sides of the cup. Add to the flour mixture. Go ahead and get and other ¼ C, you’ll probably need it, but wait to see if you do.
Making the dough
Add the oil to the mixture and I mix with a salad fork, If it get too dry had some water. Turn out on a lightly floured counter. Rinse the mixing bowl and fill with hot water and let it sit.
Kneading the dough
Now it’s all the fun, fold and knead and beat it with the rolling pin! The longer you do it the finer the crumb, most recipes say 10 mins. I usually last 5. It all depends upon what the dough is being made for. When you’ve had enough, get the clean hot dry mixing bowl and wrap it with a towel (to hold the heat), add a little oil and place the pretty side of the dough ball down, give it a swirl in the oil and flip it over. This coats it so it wouldn’t dry or stick. Leave a tea towel over the top and walk away.
First raise
In an hour and a half, check it and it should have double or tripled in size. Punch down, then set ‘em up as to what you are making. Be careful and do not over work at this point. I will near always get 2 of these pans of rolls. Or one of rolls, and the other half had some nutmeg a bit of sugar and make donuts, or roll out and make cinnamon rolls, or throw in a bread pan and make loaf bread…. Remember though they are going to double or triple in size. Whatever you do, keep ‘em warm, and wrapped when you get them happy. This is now the second rise. Just walk away.
Second raise
A hour and a half later, its into a 350 oven till done, usually 25 mins. but up to 45 mins. till done.
If you want a hard crust, spritz water in the oven once, if ya want pretty brown hit it with and egg wash before baking, I like my rolls pulled light brown and wiped with butter and returned to the oven till done.
There are a million things you can do, add herbs, you can add more sugar or less, warm milk instead of water, spices like cinnamon, salt, peppers, etc etc…. , cheese. Its as open as your own imagination. This is light bread, not to be confused with the more specific ethnic breads.
One package of yeast is plenty, the extra is to give you a helping hand with that first try.
There are a thousand ways to make dough; I simply explained how I do light bread dough. There are more websites for making breads than for making smoke. Once you get started you’ll be hooked. The kneading has such therapeutic benefits.