Simple Yeast Loaves

With Valentine's Day behind us we can begin to tackle something besides chocolate. Many of our Acorn Market customers love our italian bread. We use the same bread to make our trademark "soup crisps". I use the same recipe at home to make flatbread pizza, dinner rolls, loaves for toasting etc. Master this one and you will gain the confidence to try more yeasted bread recipes.

It is important that you cast of all of your inhibitions regarding yeast bread. Just pretend we are going to make a cake...

Simple Yeast Loaves

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup powdered milk (carnation dry milk works well)

2 Tblsps. sugar

1 Tblsp salt

4 Tblsps. olive oil

2 cups warm tap water (temp of bath water)

2 Tblsps. dry yeast

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a flat beater add the flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, yeast and olive oil. Whirl it around to combine.

With the mixer still running on low, add the water all at once. Allow the mixer about 1 or 2 minutes to combine. Dough will begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (It will remind you of spinning cotton candy) That's it.

Scrape the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with plastic and set it aside. Wait 45 minutes.

Sprinkle your counter with a little flour and dump the dough out. Take each side of the "dough blob"and gently fold it into the center. Do all four sides. Flip the dough over and with a sharp knife or pizza cutter cut the dough in half. Gently shape each piece into a long log, about 15" or so. Place each on a greased or parchment covered cookie sheet. Leave them sit for about 30-40 minutes to finish rising.

When they are gently rounded, place them in a preheated 375' oven for 40 minutes.

Remove promptly and allow to cool completely before cutting.