Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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ChrisGreaves
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Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Bet you’ve never seen that subject line before. Heh heh.
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s “How To Eat” page 33.
Home_DSCN4019.JPG
I use a 4-litre (1 gallon) ice-cream tub, made of plastic, with a lid.
Into the tub I scoop four half-cups of bread flour (or in this example, three of bread and one of whole-wheat), a teaspoon of dry yeast and a teaspoon of sugar.
I stir the ingredients with a teaspoon (yes! It happens to be in my hand so ...) for about thirty seconds.
I add enough water to make a thick, but not a runny, paste.
I put the lid on the tub and set the clockwork oven timer for thirty minutes.
After thirty minutes I put a jug of water into the microwave set 2m 30s (for a mug of tea), and turn out the dough onto the counter and knead it until the microwave is done. So, no more than 2 minutes.
Back in the tub, lid on, drink tea for 30 minutes.
Next jug of water in microwave for more tea, dough back onto the counter, knead less than two minutes; roll into two sausage shapes, place on parchment paper on a baking tray, sheath with thin plastic (a bag slit open, the sheet tucks UNDER the edges of the tray) and leave for thirty to sixty minutes.
Into the oven at 300 for about thirty minutes.
Home_DSCN4021.JPG
Home_DSCN4008.JPG
The first time I just rolled the dough into a ball and made a loaf like a huge bun. Amazingly good.
The shots above are from my fourth effort, and each one has turned out as good as the first.
Some of us are aware of how it seems to be that the first essay works well, but it all goes downhill from there.
Not in this case, for me.
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Rudi
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by Rudi »

Excellent Chris...that looks delicious and I bet the house smelled like a bakery! :yum:
Great photo documentary. Well done!

BTW: That last photo is lacking a bit of apricot jam, and where is the sesame seeds on the top of those rolls?!
Regards,
Rudi

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HansV
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by HansV »

ChrisGreaves wrote:Into the oven at 300
Is that 300°F (which seems a bit cool) or 300°C (which seems rather hot)? Or did you mean 3:00 PM? :grin:
Best wishes,
Hans

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ChrisGreaves
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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Rudi wrote:BTW: That last photo is lacking a bit of apricot jam, and where is the sesame seeds on the top of those rolls?!
Hi Rudi.
The apricot jam and sesame seeds are waiting for the Brie to run (sic) out! :munch:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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HansV wrote:Is that 300°F (which seems a bit cool) or 300°C (which seems rather hot)? Or did you mean 3:00 PM? :grin:
Hans, I honestly don't know.
Canada straddles the fence when it comes to spelling and metric vs. imperial.
I have learned not to trust literal temperature scales on ovens. My mother had her own idea of temperature with the mallee-root wood stove in Southern Cross.
I just know that when I set this oven to, say "300" for a loaf of bread, the bread comes out pretty good (and pretty, too!).
I use "350" for ginger-snap cookies.
and so on ....
(signed) "relatively hot" of Toronto.
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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From http://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips ... king-bread" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And I would that these temperatures are "F" scale.
Oven Temperatures for Baking Bread
The oven temperature for bread baking varies according to the ingredients used to make the bread.
Generally, leaner breads (made with flour, water, and yeast) are baked at 400° to 425°. Richer breads (made with more fat and eggs) are baked at lower temperatures.

Breads made with less than 1/2 cup sugar are generally baked at 375° and bread with more are baked at 350°.

A loaf of bread can bake from 25 to 45 minutes. The baking time depends on the size and shape of the loaf and the temperature of the oven.
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by Rudi »

DaveA wrote:And I would that these temperatures are "F" scale.
...knowing Chris it could even be the Fujita scale? (Hold on tight to your hats!!)
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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DaveA wrote:Oven Temperatures for Baking Bread
Thanks for this link/data Dave.
I shall modify my baking procedures accordingly! :cheers: :munch: :chef:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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Rudi wrote:...knowing Chris it could even be the Fujita scale? (Hold on tight to your hats!!)
As in "tornadough" ? :scratch: :groan:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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:laugh: :thumbup:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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ChrisGreaves wrote: I use a 4-litre (1 gallon) ice-cream tub, made of plastic, with a lid.
This recipe sounds like a winner!
But I had to chuckle as I thought about your choice of containers - I wondered how many of these you have about the house? No problem finding one, I bet! :grin:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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Skitterbug wrote:... - I wondered how many of these you have about the house? No problem finding one, I bet! :grin:
It's hard to tell, they are stacked so deep and so high atop the 'fridge.

And in the cupboard under the sink.

And ... :rofl: :laugh:

I got asked in ESL last night "What is your favourite flavour of ice-cream" and innocently caused much confusion by replying "four litres".
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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ChrisGreaves wrote:
Skitterbug wrote:... - I wondered how many of these you have about the house? No problem finding one, I bet! :grin:
It's hard to tell, they are stacked so deep and so high atop the 'fridge.

And in the cupboard under the sink.

And ... :rofl: :laugh:

I got asked in ESL last night "What is your favourite flavour of ice-cream" and innocently caused much confusion by replying "four litres".
Only one tub of "four litres"? :innocent:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Skitterbug wrote:Only one tub of "four litres"? :innocent:
Oh ! Skitterbug!!
DO pay attention. :scold:
We are discussing FLAVOURS here, not volume.
When your favorite flavour is "four litres", then volume is unimpostant.
As is Quantity. :laugh:
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

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Bread: The whole process takes four to five hours. I have hit on a nifty trick when visiting a friend for a day.
I’ll rephrase that.
When I’m spending a day visiting a friend.

• Mix the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar [salt]) and pour them into a lidded 750ml plastic tub. Think “Natural Yoghurt” or at a pinch “Ice Cream”.
• On arrival, after checking that friend has a real oven:-
• Tip all but one tablespoon of the dry mix into a mixing bowl. (I tip the lot, then spoon a spoonful back into my 750ml tub)
• Add the 1½ cups water, mix, and set aside for 30 minutes. (We play Gin Rummy, Cribbage, admire the garden, hang paintings, ...)
• At the 30-minute point I use the spoonful of dry-mix to coat the dough in the bowl, mix and knead. Some dry-mix remains in the bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• At the 60-minute point I knead, form the loaf, and place on a greased tray to rise (and ultimately bake).
• Some dry-mix remains in the bowl. I take this home in the lidded tub, and it sits there until the next time I make a dry-mix of bread.

I have found this so useful that I’m thinking of maintaing a tub of dry-mix, just for home use. I can mix a batch of dry-mix immediately before using the mixer for some other purpose (cookie dough, cake dough) and save myself one washing-up of the mixer!

Cheers
Chris
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Re: Easiest Bread Recipe Ever!

Post by Rudi »

Not to pirate this thread but I must confess that my wife and I made our first milk tart a few weeks ago and the title of this thread reminded me of this as the milk tart (as wonderfully nice as it is to eat) took us a blink of an eye to make. From the time we took the Pyrex glass baking dish out of the cupboard to the time we took it out of the fridge and took a bite of the tart, it must have been just on 45 minutes (and 30 of those was spent waiting for the tart to set).

(Granted, we may have done something minutely wrong as the tennis biscuit base as still a bit crumbly and the tart set a LOT faster than the recipe suggested....BUT, it was gooooood! A slice (or two) with a cup of tea was wonderful. :yum:

Recipe if interested...
Spoiler
BASE

1 Packet of Tennis Biscuits (These are ordinary plain tea type biscuits that you would normally use for a crumb base.)
Sufficient butter melted to make your crumbs wet enough to press into a dish
Crush the biscuits finely, and mix with the melted butter. Press firmly into a pie dish and place in the fridge whilst you make the rest of the recipe.
(You may bake your own pastry base if you prefer)

FILLING

1 Tin sweetened condensed milk (385 gram)
2 tins of full cream milk measured in the empty condensed milk can (so don't throw it away)

Put these ingredients into a large heavy based pot and bring to the boil stirring continuously with a metal whisk. The secret: The longer it takes to boil the nicer the end result, so slowly does it on a lowish flame. Once boiling, remove from the heat, and add the following mixture before once again returning to your low heat. I prepare this mixture before I start boiling the milk, so that it is ready as soon as you need it.

1 Egg (I use extra large - see note at the end)
1 Tablespoon (15ml) custard powder
1 Tea Spoon vanilla essence (5ml)
2 Tablespoons Maizena (corn flour) (30ml)
1 tin of milk (using that empty condensed milk tin to measure)
(I heap my spoons, although I have given them in ml's)

Mix the above very well with a wire whisk or hand beater. It must be lump free. Add this to your boiled milk and put back onto a very low heat. It is vitally important to constantly stir this mixture with your whisk, as you do not want lumps, and you don't want it to burn either. Keep scraping the bottom of the pot with the whisk. At the first sign of boiling bubbles turn the stove off, and immediately pour the mixture into your refrigerated crumb base. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and sugar whilst still hot. Leave to cool completely before covering with foil, and putting into the fridge again for at least 24 hours before serving.

HINT:
I always make a double recipe (you will see why once you serve it!). If you do make a double, I make the following changes:
Use 2 heaped tablespoons plus 1 level one of custard powder, and 4 heaped tablespoons plus one level on of the Maizena (corn flour)

The secret to this recipe is to boil everything very slowly, so don't rush it.
SHARE AND ENJOY!

We used this source article for our attempt
Regards,
Rudi

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