Cooks Note How To Prepare Yeast Breads Recipes

WORLD'S EASIEST YEAST BREAD RECIPE - ARTISAN, NO KNEAD

Steps:

• Mix Dough: Mix flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water, then use the handle of a wooden spoon to mix until all the flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sloppy - not kneadable, but not runny like cake batter. Adjust with more water or flour if needed for right consistency (see video at 17 sec, Note 5).
• Rise: Cover with cling wrap or plate, leave on counter for 2 - 3 hours until it doubles in volume, it's wobbly like jelly and the top is bubbly (see video at 24 seconds). If after 1 hour it doesn't seem to be rising, move it somewhere warmer (Note 6).
• Optional - refrigerate for flavour development (Note 9): At this stage, you can either bake immediately (move onto Step 5) or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Take chill out of refrigerated dough - if you refrigerated dough per above, leave the bowl on the counter for 45 - 60 minutes while the oven is preheating. Cold dough does not rise as well.
• Preheat oven (Note 7) - Put dutch oven in oven with lid on (26cm/10" or larger). Preheat to 230°C/450°F (220° fan) 30 minutes prior to baking. (Note 8 for no dutch oven)
• Shape dough: Sprinkle work surface with 1 tbsp flour, scrape dough out of bowl. Sprinkle top with 1/2 tbsp flour.
• Using a dough scraper or anything of similar shape (cake server, large knife, spatula), fold the sides inwards (about 6 folds) to roughly form a roundish shape. Don't be too meticulous here - you're about to deform it, it's more about deflating the bubbles in the dough and forming a shape you can move.
• Transfer to paper: Slide a large piece of parchment/baking paper (not wax paper) next to the dough, then flip the dough upside down onto the paper (ie seam side down, smooth side up). Slide/push it towards the middle, then reshape it into a round(ish) shape. Don't get too hung up about shape. In fact, lopsided = more ridges = more crunchy bits!
• Dough in pot: Remove piping hot dutch oven from oven. Use paper to place dough into pot, place lid on.
• Bake 30 minutes covered, then 12 minutes uncovered or until deep golden and crispy.
• Cool on rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

HOME-STYLE YEAST BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, butter, salt, eggs and 4 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a firm dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; turn onto a floured surface. Divide in half. Shape into loaves and place in two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.