Hearty Homemade Bread

A Wholesome Versatile Bread Recipe

© Melody Rhodes

Jan 15, 2008

Aah . . . the goodness of homemade bread! A good, reliable bread-making recipe is invaluable, resulting in wonderful, moist bread.

This prized recipe for homemade bread was passed down to me from my grandmother, Dorothy, and has come to be called Grandma Dot’s Bread.

You can use this versatile bread recipe to make different kinds of homemade bread and bread buns.

Grandma Dot's Hearty Homemade Bread Recipe

Step 1

Into a large measuring cup:

• 2 tbsp. yeast dissolved in
• 1 cup of warm water with
• 2 tsp. of white sugar

(Let rise until foamy, about 10 minutes.)

Step II

Into a large bowl:

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of fat
• 2 tsp. salt

Then add:

• 3 cups of hot water to dissolve the fat
• 3 cups of cold water to achieve the right temperature before you add the yeast. Water should be warm but not hot enough to kill the yeast.
• Stir in yeast mixture

Step III

Mixing Your Bread Dough:

1. Start adding in the flour (15-20 cups), using either a soup bowl or a flour scoop.
2. Stir your wet mixture with a wooden spoon, so that ingredients are well blended.
3. Keep adding flour and stirring until your dough becomes stiff.
4. Sprinkle more flour on the top of the dough ball and start kneading the bread dough with your hands.
5. Keep kneading and adding flour each time dough starts to feel sticky.
6. When dough becomes firm, start folding bread dough inward with the heel of your hand, folding and heeling it, working in a circle. Dough will develop an elastic feel.

Once you have a large ball, smooth on oil and cover with a tea towel. Set your batch of homemade bread in a warm place to rise, until doubled in size.

Punch down and let rise again. Test by poking two fingers into the dough. If a depression remains, your bread dough is ready.

Step IV

Shaping Your Bread Loaves:

1. Punch down and cut bread dough into 7-8 portions.
2. Place dough portions on a floured counter and shape into oblongs, tucking dough under at the sides.
3. Place in greased pans, cover, and set to rise.
4. Preheat oven and bake bread at 325 degrees for approximately one hour.

Homemade Bread Variations:

Substitute all or part of the white flour with whole wheat flour for brown bread, or use graham, or rye flour when making homemade bread.

Additional Ingredients for Hearty Homemade Bread:

• toasted sunflower seeds
• flax seeds
• chopped nuts
• poppy seeds
• sesame seeds
• raisins
• cinnamon
• oatmeal
• wheat germ
• bran
• ground brown rice
• freshly ground wheat
• ground Kamut
• For a rich whole wheat bread, include sunflower seeds and flax seeds.

Homemade Bread Toppers:

1. Place bread dough in pans. Make a lengthwise slit in the top of the bread and press in sesame seeds and poppy seeds for crunchy goodness and eye-appeal.
2. Dust with sifted white flour
3. Top with cornmeal

Decorative Touches for Homemade Bread:

Braided Bread

1. Roll bread dough into 3 pan-length strips. Press together on one end and braid dough for a decorative oblong braided loaf.
2. Shape braided dough in a circle and place in pan. Dust with poppy seeds.

Homemade Bread Buns

• You can also make buns from this bread recipe. A good combination is 4 loaves and 1-2 pans of buns.

Bun-Making Method:

Cut palm-sized balls and place on counter. Bring together thumb and middle finger, and start rolling in a counter-clockwise motion. Perfectly formed balls will form. Place balls in greased pans. Cook bread buns for a shorter period, 15-20 minutes at 325, until golden brown.

The next time you have a hankering for hearty homemade bread, make up a batch of Grandma Dot's bread.

Homemade Bread

Bread Dough

Crunchy Homemade Bread

Round Seed Bread

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