Ingredients
Makes two loaves.
- 900g flour, all-purpose or bread
- 17g instant dry yeast
- 25g salt
- 55g sugar
- 15mL light oil, such as vegetable
- 500mL warm water
- Amount varies by environmental factors
Directions
You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook to mix and knead the dough
- Add flour to bowl
- Add the yeast, salt, sugar, and oil on top of flour, separate around perimeter of bowl
- Gradually add water and mix until it looks like bread dough
- Not wet, not dry
- Shaggy
- Move it to a floured surface and knead it for a while.
- Soft
- Pliable
- Lightly grease a large bowl, place the kneaded dough inside. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour. I create a proofing oven by placing a pot of boiling water in my oven beside the dough bowl. As the water evaporates, it warms and humidifies the air.
- After the first rise, punch down the dough and gently knead a handful of time more. Shape the dough into two even logs.
- Grease two 9"x5" bread pans and place the dough inside. Cover and let rise until the top of the bread mound is an inch above the pans. I use the same proofing oven technique
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F)
- Bake for 15 minutes without opening the door. Check on it and add five minutes at a time until golden brown. If it smells burnt, it has been too long.
Rainbow bread
- After the first rise, separate the dough into three portions
- Knead in food dye of various colors. Less kneading leads to marbling of the color.
- Roll each portion flat
- Layer the portions on top of each other, roll to join and thin
- Roll up into a log similar to a swiss roll
- Cut in half and place into pan and continue from step 7