Homemade bread is definitely my preferred preference instead of a shop brought loaf. Not only is homemade delicious and much more fresher tasting, but making it can be therapeutic to make as well. Making your own bread can give you a sense of accomplishment and it also can give you a feeling of nostalgia. Not to mention the amazing smell that comes from your kitchen.
Homemade bread is the perfect treat at breakfast or for a mid-morning snack. It's also an easy and inexpensive homemade gift. You can use an assortment of different types of flour to make your own bread, including whole wheat, rye, organic plain white flour and more. The type of flour you choose will affect not only the taste but also the texture and nutritional value. Baking bread is also a great way to get creative in the kitchen.
There are many reasons why you would want to make your own bread. For example, baking your own white or wheat bread can help you save money on your grocery bill. Eating whole wheat bread is also a healthier option that may even help you to lose weight.
The process of making your own bread is surprisingly easy and not as hard as often thought. It can also help you to save a significant amount of money.
You can enjoy your homemade bread in your own home like we do or even start baking for friends and family members to enjoy.
Homemade bread ingredients
Bread is a staple in many cultures and has been a part of the human diet since before recorded history. Bread is a carbohydrate-rich food, typically made from wheat flour, water, yeast and salt.
You can also add other ingredients to flavour your bread - for example, you might want to make a cheese and garlic flavoured bread, or add rosemary to your bread. Our favourite is a sundried tomato loaf.
How to make homemade bread
Every bread recipe will have a different method, however, the typical process of making bread begins with mixing flour and water to form a dough; this is kneaded for 10 to 15 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough is then placed in a loaf pan for proofing; this can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the type of bread your making.
After proofing, the dough is baked in an oven until it is cooked, then removed from the oven to cool down.
Once removed from the pan you can slice your bread and taste it straight away, or store it to use later.
Homemade bread tip - practice makes perfect
When it comes to making homemade bread, practice makes perfect. You can’t expect every loaf to be perfect so remember that your bread baking will get better the more you practice. You will soon learn that if your mixture seems too sticky for example then leaving it for 10 minutes after mixing it can help. Hacks like these come from getting more practice over time.
Store your yeast properly
When making homemade bread it is very important to not only use the correct yeast but to also store it correctly. It's important to make sure the yeast you are using is in date and stored correctly - for example, fresh yeast should be stored in the fridge.
Feel free to experiment
Baking homemade bread can be fun as homemade bread can be made in a variety of flavours as well as using toppings on the bread.
Feel free to experiment with different flavours, sizes and toppings when making your own bread.
Take your time
When baking bread it is important that you take your time and that you don’t skip any steps, especially the proofing time. You can put this time to good use by tidying up the kitchen or finishing other chores whilst you wait.
Measure carefully
When baking homemade bread you will find that even small differences in the amount of ingredients you are using can make a big difference. Therefore be extreemly careful when it comes to measuring out your ingredients, especially your water, yeast and salt.
