Latest Update to My Bread Baking Routine
With the price of eggs literally outta site last month I began tweaking my master bread recipe to eliminate eggs. I also had been watching several YT videos about making bread dough without using a mixer and kneading by hand instead. Everything I watched seemed like even though more hands on labor is required in the end the process was more simplified. Plus, I like doing things with my hands, I find it to be therapeutic.
So this is what I came up with and I have to say that I haven’t enjoyed baking bread more and I’ve been baking all of our bread since the beginning of 2018.
The only tools need are a 6qt.bowl, a large wooden spoon, whisk, plastic bowl scraper, I use the handle of the wooden spoon to mix the dough in the bowl until in begins to clean the sides of the bowl, then I use the bowl scraper to clean the sides of the bowl and finish forming the dough in the bowl with my hands. Then I turn the dough out onto the clean counter top and begin kneading for a full 10 mins, until it passes the “windowpane test” by stretching a small corner of the dough with my fingers until I can see light through it and it doesn’t tear, this assures the proper level of gluten has been developed. It is EXTREMELY important to NOT use any flour on the counter! This will dry out the dough and the finished bread. Instead use a bit of oil in the work surface and on your hands. If the dough sticks on the work surface use the plastic scraper to scrap it off the counter and back into the dough ball. As you knead the dough will become less tacky and more elastic.
Then I place the dough ball back into the same bowl that the dough was mixed in, oiling it first and turning the dough over to coat both sides, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Then punch down the dough to deflate the air, divide in half, weigh each half to assure each loaf will be equal in size. Again DO NOT flour the work surface, if your dough has been properly kneaded it will not be overly sticky. Form each half into a rectangle appox. 9”x12”, then roll up tightly, sealing with the heel of my hand after each turn, and then pinching the seam and the ends to seal and place each formed loaf into a 9.25”x5.25” loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until 1.5” above the top of the pans, approx. 45 to 70 mins depending upon how warm the kitchen is. At about the 35 min mark begin preheating the oven to 425 F. Place the fully risen loaves carefully into the oven and the IMMEDIATELY reduce the temp to 350F (this will assure maximum oven lift) and bake for 30 mins. Remove the baked loaves from the pans and place on a wire rack to cool and brush the tops with soft butter.
When FULLY cooled to room temp. I slice each loaf using a bread slicing guide and them wrap each loaf tightly in plastic wrap, them place in a plastic bag and then place into a 1 gal Ziplock bag and place one loaf in the freezer for later and keep the other loaf in the bread box still wrapped and in the Ziplock bag. This bread stays nice and fresh for 4 to 5 days at room temp as long as I keep it wrapped and instructed above.
I don’t think I’ll be going back to using my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer to make bread dough after this. The quality of the bread is far superior and the whole process is relaxing and takes no more time than using the mixer and there is less to cleanup to.
I hope that some of you that enjoy baking bread will give this a try.
Eddie
[this post was last edited: 3/27/2025-13:21]
