Description
Rustic homemade bread emerges from traditional baking techniques passed down through generations. Mediterranean kitchens inspire this simple, hearty loaf that connects people through shared culinary heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–¼ cups (532 mL) warm water (110° to 115°F)
- 2 tbsps (30 mL) canola oil
- 1 package (¼ oz/7 g) active dry yeast
- 3 tbsps plus ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 6–¼ to 6-¾ cups bread flour
Instructions
- Yeast Activation: Dissolve yeast with sugar in warm water, allowing the mixture to foam and become bubbly, signaling live cultures within 5-10 minutes.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk together sugar, salt, and partial flour in a mixing bowl, creating a uniform dry foundation.
- Liquid Integration: Blend canola oil into activated yeast, then pour into flour mixture. Whisk vigorously until achieving a smooth, homogeneous consistency.
- Dough Formation: Gradually fold remaining flour into the mixture, kneading until developing a supple, elastic texture that springs back when touched.
- Primary Fermentation: Place dough in a greased container, rotating to coat entirely. Cover with a clean cloth and rest in a warm location until volume doubles, approximately 1 hour.
- Shaping and Secondary Rise: Punch down dough, divide into two portions, and shape into loaves. Position in prepared baking pans and allow to rise again until significantly expanded.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake loaves until achieving a deep golden-brown color and producing a hollow sound when tapped. Immediately transfer to cooling racks to prevent soggy bottoms and complete the baking process.
Notes
- Activate Yeast Carefully: Mix yeast with sugar in lukewarm water to ensure proper fermentation, watching for a foamy surface within 5-10 minutes.
- Develop Gluten Effectively: Knead dough with consistent, rhythmic motions to create a smooth, elastic texture that provides bread’s characteristic structure.
- Control Rising Environment: Place dough in a warm, draft-free area to allow optimal proofing, typically doubling in volume during the first rise.
- Monitor Baking Precision: Check bread doneness by tapping the crust – a hollow sound indicates perfectly baked loaves with ideal internal structure.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Global
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg