By now, many people are well aware of the potential dangers of not following the steps listed below to make your own homemade bread.
But the advice here is for the beginner.
Here are some of the tips I’ve learned along the way, and they’re not as difficult as they may seem.
Do what I do.
The process is the same for all kinds of breads, but I’ll share the tips that are most relevant to this recipe.
First, make a batch of your dough, but don’t leave it to rise.
It will get hard and dry.
Second, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, then spread it out with your hands.
This creates a pocket of air between the dough and the surface.
Next, make sure the dough is evenly distributed on the surface of the surface by using your fingertips to gently lift it away from the dough.
Third, transfer your dough to the lightly flours and knead it.
I find this helps prevent sticking.
If you need a better method, read on.
Do the recipe.
This step is easy.
First cover the dough with a clean cloth, then put it into a large bowl.
Add some flour to the bowl, and let it sit for a few minutes to get rid of any lumps.
Then, cover the bowl again with a cloth and let the dough rise for a couple of hours.
Once it’s ready, transfer it to a baking sheet, sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and bake it at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes.
This gives the bread the right flavor.
Make sure you’re using a dough that’s a little thicker than the one you made for the recipe, as the dough can be stretched more easily with extra flour.
Do it yourself.
This is a more involved process.
First you need to prepare the dough: Cover a small bowl with a damp cloth and put a small pot of water on top.
Next you need some parchment paper to cover it.
You can use a pizza cutter or an offset spatula.
If your dough is a little thick, you can stretch it a little by rolling it around on the parchment paper.
The dough will come out a bit thick and stretchy, so don’t be afraid to stretch it out.
You may need to use a fork or your fingers to pry the dough out a little bit.
You’ll be glad you did.
Finally, it’s time to bake it.
Bake the dough in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 F. For a thicker dough, put it on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.
The baking time will vary depending on the size of your pan, the thickness of the parchment, and whether or not you’re baking it on the stovetop.
You should be able to tell by the baking time that the dough has baked.
While it’s baking, you’ll want to use your hands to lift the dough from the parchment and spread it onto a clean surface.
You will want to let the excess water drip off, but this will make the dough more pliable.
After the dough comes out, let it cool slightly and use your hand to transfer the crust to a wire rack.
This will help it stay moist and rise in the bowl as it cools.
I put mine on a wire mesh rack in the refrigerator for two weeks, then stored it in the freezer until needed.
You could also store it in a sealed container in the fridge for several days.
It’s best to use the wire rack because it prevents the dough being too dry.
Do this step only if you are making it for the first time.
Do not use a parchment scraper or a food processor because they may make the crust more sticky.
If you are doing it for your first time, you might want to start with a smaller bowl.
When you transfer the flour into the bowl and stir, make small adjustments.
It may be easier to use just a fork.
You want the dough not to stick, but not to be too hard.
To make this easier, spread a bit of your own flour on top of the dough, and then knead.
It should start to stick to the surface, which is a good sign.
Then you can begin adding more flour to make the bread more pliant.
Finally, you will want the crust so it will hold up well in a pan.
To do this, spread some more flour on the top of your crust and use a spatula to move it around until it’s just touching the bottom of the pan.
If it’s too wet, just add more flour.
You might want the flour to have a nice crumb like a doughnut.
This might take a couple tries, but it’s worth it.
Do it for a week or two.
Do you have a different recipe you would like to share?
Leave a comment below, and I’ll add it to the recipe list.
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