Method of Making Bread

I’m sharing my Bread Making Method. I learned this from a lady in Arlington. She learned from her grandmother when she was 12 years old. I finally can make excellent Bread.

To download and print, CLICK HERE for a PDF of my Bread Making Method.

From Donna’s Kitchen
Method of Baking Bread

I use…
Dakota Maid Bread Flour
C&H Sugar (Cane), Beet has GMO in it
Yeast – Platinum Superior Baking Yeast. Red Star – White Package (Cub at Hwy 7/101 in Minnetonka has this)

1. Have flour warm, also the bowl to mix in and yeast bowl.
2. Yeast needs water at 115°f. Use a candy thermometer. Add yeast to water. Also 1/2 tsp sugar. Raise 10 minutes.
3. In a large warm bowl, have your liquid 105°f (I use water). Add other ingredients, 2 cups flour only. (Also yeast)
4. Beat with electric mixer 2-3 minutes.
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and a heavy towel (1 hour). I set this by heat. This is called Proofing.
6. To finish I add 1 cup flour at a time, stir into mixture. Keep adding flour 1 cup at a time until the dough follows the spoon.
7. Put dough on a flour board to kneed. Use remaining flour. Kneed 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time. Kneed 10 minutes.
8. Grease bowl, put dough ball upside down to grease, then turn it over and the other side will be greased.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and heavy towel.
10. Raise until double or triple, 1 1/2 hours or so.
11. Punch down, turn ball of dough over.
12. Cover again to raise, double or triple.
13. Punch down and turn out on a lightly covered board. Divide into equal parts.
14. Let rest 10 minutes (cover with towel). Shape into greased loaf pans.
15. Cover with towel.
16. When bread comes up over pans about 2 inches.
17. Bake at 400° (have oven ready). If your recipe says less heat, it doesn’t work. The bread can taste yeasty. I bake mine 30-35 minutes.
18. Take a loaf out of the oven. Take out of pan. Knock on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it’s done. Put on wire rack, butter top. I use wax paper with butter on. Cool and enjoy.