If you think that making bread is difficult, think again! This simple herb bread can be made in a bread machine, or by hand. Easy to make, it tastes like you spent hours slaving over it. Try some tonight - the scent alone will have your family flocking to the dinner table.
Easy Herb Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 ½ tsp yeast
- 1 ½ tbsp butter, cut into pieces
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp dry milk (or 1 tbsp cream or milk)
- 1 ¼ tsp marjoram
- 1 ¼ tsp rosemary
- 1 ¼ tsp thyme
- ¾ tsp basil
- 2 ½ - 3 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup corn meal
Directions:
- In a warmed mixing bowl, add the water and the yeast and mix until blended. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the butter, sugar, salt, and milk and mix well.
- Add the herbs and mix well.
- Add 1 cup of the flour and mix well.
- Continue to add flour, one half-cup at a time until the dough cleans the side of the bowl; when you can touch the dough and it does not stick to your finger it is done.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed to prevent the dough from becoming sticky. Form the dough into a ball.
- Lightly oil a glass bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to make sure the top is coated with oil.
- Cover the bowl with a towel (not terry-cloth) and place it in a warm place. Leave the dough to rise until it is doubled in bulk, approximately one hour.
- Punch the dough down, turn out onto a floured surface, and knead a few times.
- Roll the dough out into a 9” by 13” rectangle.
- Working from the long edge, roll the dough up, tightly, into a long cylinder. Pinch the ends to seal it, and tuck the ends under the loaf with the seam at the bottom.
- Sprinkle corn meal on a baking sheet or a baking stone.
- Place the loaf on top of the baking sheet, cover with the towel and allow to rise again, about 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut three diagonal steam slits, about ¼” deep, into the top of the loaf.
- Moisten the top of the loaf with a little water, or you can brush the top with beaten egg white.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the bread is browned on top, about 30 minutes.
- The bread is done when it is browned on top and bottom and it makes a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the loaf with a wooden spoon.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a rack. Cool before slicing.
You can change this bread up simply by adding, eliminating, or substituting different herbs. Try adding powdered or dried garlic, powdered or dried onion, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, or even a packet of dried vegetable dip for a unique taste. Serve this amazing bread as a side dish with meals, make a tasty sandwich, or serve it with flavored oil for dipping.
Easy Herb Bread can also be made with a regular bread machine. Using the same ingredients and quantities, simply add the ingredients in the order suggested by your machine's manufacturer. You can choose to let the bread bake all the way through in the machine or set the machine to the "dough" setting and bake the bread in the oven.
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