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5 from 1 vote

How to Make Bread with Step-by-Step Instructions

Learn how to make bread with these easy to follow, yet detailed step-by-step instructions. And there is no machine required!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Rise Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 50 minutes
Course: Breads
Cuisine: Americana
Servings: 12 slices

Equipment

  • 9" x 5" loaf pan

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Flour, all-purpose flour or bread flour See Recipe Notes for whole grain flour adjustments.
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup Milk, whole, low-fat, or fat-free Alternative kinds of milk may also be used, such as almond milk or oat milk.
  • 3/4 cup Water In place of water, you can use all milk or an all milk alternative.
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons Commercial yeast, active dry or instant This is equivalent to one 1/4 ounce package of commercial yeast.
  • 3 tablespoons Butter, unsalted and softened
  • 1 tablespoon Oil of choice I generally use olive oil. You will use this ingredient to oil the bowl in which you will be placing the kneaded dough to allow it to rise.

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix flour with salt and set aside.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix milk, water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes allowing yeast to foam. (If you are using instant yeast, you can mix the instant yeast with the flour and salt in step one. It does not need to be mixed in with the liquids.)
  • After 5 minutes, add the liquids to the large bowl that contains the flour and salt. Mix well with a wooden spoon or clean hands until the dough comes together and "cleans the bowl." (See video.)
  • Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable. You knead the dough by flattening it slightly, then folding it over on itself. In the video, I demonstrate the kneading technique and the "windowpane test" to show you how you will know that the dough has been sufficiently kneaded. After you have been kneading the dough for about 7 minutes, begin to work in the butter about 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated into the dough.
  • Grease a large bowl with olive oil.
  • Once fully kneaded, transfer the dough to the oiled bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a damp towel, or a floured towel to prevent the dough from sticking to the covering as it rises.
  • Place the dough that is in the covered bowl in a warm place such as on top of a refrigerator or in an oven that is turned off but has the electric light or pilot light on. Allow the dough to double in size in this warm place for 1 - 1 ½ hours.
  • Test the dough at 1 hour to see if it has doubled in size. You can know if it has risen sufficiently by using the finger poke test. Insert your finger, up to the nail bed into the risen dough. If the indentation springs back, it has not risen sufficiently, so continue to let it rise. If the indentation stays indented or moves back very slowly, the dough has risen sufficiently. (See video.)
  • About 20 minutes before the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 450°F. Next, prepare the loaf pan by buttering the bottom and sides very generously.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to deflate it, and transfer it to a flat surface that has been lightly floured. Roll out the dough using a floured rolling pin until it is approximately the length of the long side of the loaf pan. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll and seal the seam on the bottom and the sides by pinching the dough together. (See video.)
  • Transfer the rolled dough to the well-buttered loaf pan and allow to rise for approximately 45 minutes until nicely domed. You can use another loaf pan to cover the dough or a well floured towel. Then place the loaf pan into the preheated oven. Close the oven door and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top. Once removed from the pan, the bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. If not, return to the oven for approximately an additional 5 minutes of bake time.
  • If you find that your bread is browning too quickly but not done yet, you can tent it with a piece of aluminum foil and allow it to continue to bake.
  • Once the bread is baked completely, use pot holders to remove the loaf pan from the oven and transfer the bread to a cooling rack. While continuing to use pot holders, invert the pan, remove the bread from the pan, and allow the baked bread to cool on the cooling rack completely before slicing.
  • Bread can be stored on the counter in a bread bag or bread box for up to 2-3 days. Or the bread can be stored, well-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to one week. Alternatively, the bread may be frozen for up to 2-3 months, if well wrapped in appropriate freezer-proof packaging.

Notes

WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR ADJUSTMENTS:  If you decide to use whole grain flour, I recommend replacing the all-purpose or bread flour by no more than 2 1/2 cups.  As you increase the whole grain flour, you will also need to adjust the total amount of liquid up to as much as 1/4 cup. Start with a 1/8 cup of additional liquid, and as you mix the dough, if it looks dry and does not come together to "clean the bowl," continue to add liquid, one tablespoon at a time until the appropriate consistency is reached.
You can find this recipe and accompanying video at https://marysnest.com/learn-how-to-make-bread-with-step-by-step-instructions/
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