La mienne:
Bread!
Makes 4 Loaves
Before we begin with the recipe itself, we have to know a few things about our good friend Yeast. Yeast can a bit of a pain to work with, but if treated correctly Yeast is our friend.
Yeast likes: sugar (it’s what it eats), light (very important for growth), warmth (at least room temperature if not a little higher) and patience.
Yeast Dislikes: salt (this kills yeast), and extreme temperatures (too much heat kills yeast, not enough and it will not grow)
Recipe: this recipe can be made with 100% white flour (which rises the best), or 100% whole wheat (doesn’t rise as well as the white). I suggest a mix of the two flours (60-40 or 70-30)
In a small bowl: ½ cup of warm water (hot water from the tap)2 tbsp of yeast (traditional)and 1 tsp of sugar.
Allow mixture time. Keep close to light and warmth (not too hot though). When the yeast starts to bubble, it’s good to go.
In a large bowl: 4 cups warm water (hot water from the tap)
1 tsp of salt
½ cup of sugar
¾ cup margarine
Add enough flour to make a medium batter (usually 5 cups, add 1 cup at a time). Next when the yeast is good to go, add it to the batter. Continue to add flour in small amounts until batter pulls away from the bowl. Keep adding flour until the batter becomes sticky, but doesn’t stick to your hands. Knead bread for 5 minutes. Place the batter in a lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 1 ½ -2 hours or till it doubles in size (make sure the dough has access to light and warmth). Once dough has risen, punch down and place on a floured surface. Cut into 4 pieces and shape. Place the shaped loaves in greased pans, and allow the bread to have a second rise for 1 hour to 1 ¾ or until doubled in size (make sure the dough has access to warmth and light). Preheat oven to 350F . Once loaves are read bake for 25-30 minutes, until they are brown on top and sound hollow when tapped. Allow Bread to cool for 5 minutes in ban, then remove and cool on rack.