Simple Home-made Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients.

5 ¹/₄ cups white bread flour or two cups of white and three cups of brown bread flour.

2 - 4 Tbsp. sugar

1 ¹/₂ tsp. salt

1 ¹/₂ Tbsp. (rounded) yeast

1 ¹/₂ Tbsp. oil

2 cups warm water (somewhere between 100 and 115⁰ Fahrenheit)

Method.

Mix dry ingredients.  Add oil and water.  Mix for 1 minute and then check the consistency of the dough.  The dough should be very sticky.  If it is too dry, add more water.

Mix for 5 minutes.  (Do not add any more flour after the dough has finished mixing.)

Spray kneading surface with cooking spray and turn dough out onto the surface.  Knead dough briefly until it has a smooth even consistency (this will only take several turns of the dough to accomplish).

Divide dough into 2 pieces (or more if you wish to have smaller loaves) and shape loaves into desired shapes and place on greased baking sheets.  Cover with a large dish towel and let rise for 25 minutes.

While loaves are rising, preheat oven to 350⁰ Fahrenheit.  When loaves are ready to go into the oven, use a sharp knife (you can lightly spray your knife with cooking spray to prevent dragging) to make several slashes in the top.  Make each cut about ¹₄-inch deep at a 30⁰ angle.

Bake loaves for 25 m minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Once browned put in the center o the oven and let cool.

Remove and set it on the drying rack and let it cool further.