…and rolls…and sandwich buns
Here are simple step-by-step instructions for making your own bread (Yes, you can!!). You can also use this same recipe for yeast rolls, hamburger buns and hot dog buns. Give it a try. It’s not as hard as you think. That warm, fresh bread and the wonderful smell in the kitchen will be the reward for your effort, not to mention the fact that it won’t have all of the unpronounceable additives and preservatives that you find in a commercial loaf of bread.
Basic Yeast Bread
**You can use this recipe for many things including: yeast rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns and bread by the loaf
3 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 1⁄4 teaspoons yeast (one packet) 2 tablespoons to 1⁄2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk warmed to 105-115°F
2 eggs
1. Warm the milk in a pan on the stovetop until it reaches 105-115°F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
2. Mix sugar, milk and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes until the yeast “blooms.” It will bubble and get foamy on top. Do not skip this step because it is important to know if the yeast is viable. Yeast is a living organism and if it does not react like this, then it is no longer fresh enough to use.
3. While waiting for the yeast to bloom melt the butter.
4. Lightly beat the eggs then add the butter and eggs to the yeast mixture.
5. Put the flour and salt together in a separate bowl and stir until combined. 6. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes until it is smooth.
8. Put the dough back into the bowl, brush the top lightly with oil, then turn the dough upside down and brush the bottom with oil as well.
9. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (approximately one hour).
10. After the first rising, punch down the dough to remove the air and knead lightly until it is smooth again.
11. Make your dough its desired shape**(see below) and put into a greased pan. Cover and let rise again until approximately doubled in size—about 1 hour.
12. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
**Shape your dough
For bread: Use your hands to shape the dough into an oval that is roughly the size of your pan. Flatten the ends and put into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
For yeast rolls: Divide the dough into 12 pieces of equal size. Use your hand to roll each piece into a ball on your work surface. Place the rolls evenly spaced into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, flattening the bottom slightly as you put them in. They will be touching after the second rise.
For hamburger buns: Divide the dough into either 6 or 8 equal sized pieces, depending on how large you want the buns to be. Use your hand to roll each piece into a ball and place the buns on a greased cookie sheet so that they are not touching. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the top of each bun slightly. They will be sliced into two pieces with a sharp knife after baking.
For hot dog buns: Divide the dough into 8 or 10 equal sized pieces depending on how large you want the buns to be. For example, make 8 buns if they will be used for sausages, bratwurst or subs and 10 if they will be used for regular hot dogs. Use your hand to roll each bun into a “snake” shape until it is approximately 1-1 1⁄2 inches in diameter and 4 inches long. Use a butter knife to make a score mark along the top of each bun that will be your guide for slicing after they are baked. Put the buns on a greased cookie sheet so that they are not touching.