Basic Bread Dough Recipes

SIMPLE YEAST BREAD / DOUGH

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup warm water with 2 tablespoons of yeast and in a large mixing bowl and set aside for about 5 minutes.
• Combine the 1 1/4 cups warm water with the butter or oil and add to the yeast mixture after it has expanded.
• Combine the salt and flour and add 2 cups of flour to the yeast / water mixture and mix well.
• Continue adding flour until a soft dough forms and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the soft dough out onto a well floured surface and knead in remaining flour, continuing to knead for about 10 minute until the dough is very soft and pliable.
• Place the dough into a well-greased pan, turning once to coat and allow to rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Dough is ready when doubled in size and indentation remains when pressing a finger into the center.
• Press to deflate and shape the dough as you desire. You can use it to make mini pizzas, hot dog wraps, 2 regular sized pizzas, 2 loafs of bread or cinnamon bread.
• After shaping the dough, allow to rise again for 10-15 minutes before baking. Bake in a very hot oven (450-500 F) for 12-15 minutes. Check for desired golden color / doneness. Ovens vary in cooking time, so check the dough at about 10 minute and then adjust the cooking time / temperature according to your oven.

SUPER EASY BREAD RECIPE FOR BEGINNERS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pour the warm water into a large bowl.
• Slowly stir in the yeast until it is dissolved.
• Add the salt, sugar, and milk to the bowl. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Mix in the shortening and the first 2 cups of flour. The shortening will continue to integrate into the dough while kneading, so it may be small lumps at this stage.
• If needed, begin adding more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough chases the spoon around the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. Add small spoonfuls of flour as necessary, until the dough is soft and smooth (not sticky to the touch). You may not need all of the flour, or you may need a little more. Keep the surface floured to prevent the dough from sticking to the board and your hands.
• Put the dough in a greased or buttered bowl and turn the dough over so the other side is also greased.
• Cover and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot, such as an oven with the light on, for about 1 hour, or until doubled.
• Punch down the dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 5 minutes.
• Form the dough into a loaf (here are some helpful tips) and set it gently into a greased bread pan .
• Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes, or until doubled. If your kitchen is chilly or drafty, place the pan in a cool oven with the light on for this step, or you may not get a proper rise. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Score the risen dough by cutting three slashes across the top with a sharp knife. While not essential, this step controls the direction in which the bread expands as it bakes. (If you forget to do it, the bread will taste the same.)
• Place the bread in the oven and bake for about 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Turn out the loaf of bread and let it cool completely on a rack or clean dish towel before slicing.
• Serve and enjoy.

BASIC HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand until bubbles form on surface. Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape each into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours., Bake at 375° until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped or has reached an internal temperature of 200°, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

Steps:

• Scald milk in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to scalded milk. Remove 1/4 cup liquid; mix yeast into liquid when cooled to lukewarm. To liquid in saucepan, add salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Add dissolved yeast to saucepan. Mix well.
• Sift and measure the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and pour the liquids into the well. Stir with a large wooden spoon until liquid disappears.
• With one hand, mix dough in bowl using swinging rotary motion. Gradually form dough into smooth ball, then knead in bowl for 2 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening. Cover, and allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough. Use dough for any sweet bread recipe.

BASIC WHITE BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast into a bowl with half of a cup of water. Stir to dissolve and leave for five minutes. Mix the flour and salt together in another bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the dissolved yeast.
• Form a paste, Cover the bowl with a towel and let the paste sponge (frothy, loose and expanded) for 20 minutes.
• Mix in the rest of the water until you get a firm, moist dough. Knead for about 10 minutes.
• Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let it rise for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Punch down then let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Shape into a long loaf. Place onto a floured baking sheet and let it proof for 45 minutes.
• Slash the top and cook in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

VERY BASIC BREAD

Steps:

• Combine 5 ounces of the flour, 1/4 teaspoon of the yeast, all of the honey, and all of the bottled water in a straight-sided container; cover loosely and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• Place the remaining 11 ounces of flour, remaining yeast, and all the salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, and add the pre-ferment from the refrigerator. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture on low for 2 to 3 minutes just until it comes together. Cover the dough in the bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, knead the dough on medium speed for 5 to 10 minutes or until you are able to gently pull the dough into a thin sheet that light will pass through. The dough will be sticky, but not so sticky that you can't handle it.
• While the dough is kneading, pour half of the hot water into a shallow pan and place on the bottom rack of your oven.
• Grease the inside of a large straight-sided container with the vegetable oil. Place the dough ball into the container and set on the rack above the pan of water. Allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 2 hours.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it onto a counter top, lightly dust your hands with flour, and press the dough out with your knuckles; then fold 1 side in towards the middle of the mass and then the other, as if you were making a tri-fold wallet. Repeat the folding a second time. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for another 10 minutes.
• Flatten dough again with your knuckles and then fold the dough in onto itself, like you are shaping something that looks like a jellyfish. Turn the dough over and squeeze the bottom together so that the top surface of the dough is smooth. Place the dough back onto the counter and begin to roll gently between your hands. Do not grab the dough but allow it to move gently back and forth between your hands, moving in a circular motion. Move the dough ball to a pizza peel or the bottom of a sheet pan that has been sprinkled with the cornmeal. Cover with the kitchen towel and allow to bench proof for 1 hour, or until you poke the dough and it quickly fills back in where you poked it.
• Place an unglazed terra cotta dish upside down into the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the 1/3 cup of water and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Uncover the dough and brush the surface with this mixture. Gently slash the top surface of the dough ball in several places, approximately 1/3 to 1/2-inch deep. Add more of the hot water to the shallow pan if it has evaporated. Slide the bread onto the terra cotta dish in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Once the bread has reached an internal temperature of 205 to 210 degrees F, remove to a cooling rack and allow to sit for 30 minutes before slicing.

EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix 500g strong white flour, 2 tsp salt and a 7g sachet of fast-action yeast in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the centre, then add 3 tbsp olive oil and 300ml water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add another 1-2 tbsp water and mix well.
• Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for around 10 mins.
• Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.
• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself) then gently mould the dough into a ball.
• Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut a cross about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

PATRICIA'S BASIC BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a dough-hook attachment, combine yeast, sugar, and water, and stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and salt.
• Add flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until most of the flour has been absorbed, and the dough forms a ball. Continue to mix at the lowest speed until soft and satiny but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes. Add additional flour, if necessary, to keep the dough from sticking. The dough will be quite soft.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator. Let the dough rise in the refrigerator until doubled or tripled in bulk, 8 to 12 hours.

MASTER BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups of flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat water, milk, and butter until very warm (120°-130°). Gradually add mixture to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place kneaded dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes. (With RapidRise Yeast, cover kneaded dough and let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.) Shape, let rise and bake according to options below:, LOAF: (use half of dough): Roll dough into a 12x7-in. rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in greased 8x4-in. loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; let cool on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf., ONION ROLLS: (use half of dough): Divide dough into 10 equal pieces; shape into smooth balls. Place in a greased 8-in. round baking pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over rolls. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dried minced onion. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until done, covering with foil during the last 5 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Remove from pan; let cool on wire rack. Yield: 10 rolls., SOFT HERB BREADSTICKS: (use half of dough): Divide dough into 12 equal pieces; roll each into a 15-in. rope. Twist each rope several times if desired. Place on two greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until risen slightly, about 10-20 minutes. Lightly beat 1 egg white; brush over breadsticks. Sprinkle with herbs or herb blends such as oregano, dill weed or Italian herb seasoning. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done. Remove from sheets; let cool on wire rack.