farmhouse bread

Nothing is quite like a warm piece of homemade bread coated with a layer of butter. It’s one of the simplest things- but so comforting. You know the old saying..living off bread and water? I could do that if it were homemade bread. Oh yes.

Now, I have to tell you: this is old fashioned white bread… I know, I know- that’s not politically correct these days. I will be making some hearty, stick to your ribs nutty grainy stuff. But for now… it’s a homemade white bread day.

Sometimes you just need fluffy white food.

Now: before I begin… let’s chat.

It’s hot, huh? The last thing you want to do is turn the oven on, I know. But, you know those rainy afternoons that happen in the summer?

That’s when you make bread. It’s perfect to make bread then. It just makes things cozy, you know.

Speaking of hot… I put a little shout out on social networks, stating I was ready for Fall…turns out most of you guys are, too. It’s coming…can’t wait for the apples to taste better. Apples suck now. Yes, I just said suck. They’re mealy. Eww.

For now I will just have to gorge myself on watermelon. Mmmm, watermelon. The other day I ate 1/4 of on over my kitchen sink. I was hungry.

Back to bread- this recipe came from my friend, Brandi of Branappetit– if you haven’t seen her site, go check it out…TONS of recipes and AMAZING pics. And.. you know what? She’s left handed AND has two sisters. Like me. AND she bakes.

Why do so many people say “I don’t bake.” ? The difference between baking and cooking is making sure you measure and don’t leave stuff out. Follow that rule and… YOU CAN BAKE. 🙂

So, no more “I can’ts”

Anyway, this recipe she claimed to be foolproof… and I had to agree. I also didn’t have bread flour, so I used all purpose along with some wheat gluten, and I came out just dandy. The next rainy day that comes your way… please try this bread. It’s so worth it.

farmhouse bread

Author: Brandi Evans

Ingredients

3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
1 Tbsp salt
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (2 packages)
2 1/4 cups warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

* In the bowl of a stand mixer or other large bowl, mix the bread flour, honey/agave, oil, salt, and yeast.
* Add warm water to flour mixture and mix together until the water is incorporated.
* Stir in the all purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is mixed together and is easy to handle.
* Knead dough (with dough hook or by hand) until it is smooth and springs back when you touch it (about 5 minutes).
* Place the dough in a large bowl that has been coated with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and sit in a warm place to rise for 40-60 minutes or until dough has doubled.
* Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle (the width of your loaf pans), roll up and place into your greased loaf pans.
* Cover the loaf pans with plastic wrap or a towel and let the dough rise, again, in a warm place 40-60 minutes, or until doubled.
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place rack in the middle of the oven.
* Bake bread for 40-45 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and they sound hollow when tapped.
* Remove from the oven and let them cool 5 minutes before removing from the pans.