Dough Hook Hooked

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Warning! I’m addicted to baking bread. It’s going to be a problem.

My initial thought after baking my first whole wheat loaf was to move on to the next level, to challenge myself with a more complicated recipe. But after some extreme quality time with Google, I realized I needed to master some basics before proceeding.

As much as I wanted to healthify my bread, white bread flour is the best starter flour out there. Without getting into too much detail, it has to do with bread flour having a higher gluten content than all-purpose flour. More gluten means a stronger web of proteins in the dough which means it’s more difficult for the CO2 created by the fermented yeast to leave the bread. The more CO2 left in the bread, the fluffier it will be.

The next step was choosing a recipe. After more Google QT, I was dead set on making Emeril’s Basic Italian Loaf. Simple steps, simple ingredient list, I was sold.

1-3/4 ounces of yeast?? What the! I couldn’t even begin to figure out a way to split to recipe to utilize my 1/2 ounce yeast packet, and I’m a math girl!

I began my search again, more quickly this time, and found this recipe. The ingredient list was perfect, but the 31 steps were a little out of control. I decided to wing it.

I combined the ingredients and steps I liked the best from Emeril, food.com recipe 1, and food.com recipe 2, and came up with this:

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FoodFash’s Starter Bread

3 Cups of White Bread Flour

1 Tablespoon Sugar in the Raw

1 Tablespoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Earth Balance

1/2 Ounce Active Dry Yeast (1 Packet)

1 Cup Very Warm Water (120 – 130 degrees F)

Olive Oil

Spray Bottle

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Dissolve the yeast in a small bowl of warm water. The water should be just hot enough that you can’t leave your fingers under the faucet. You want to be sure that the water isn’t too hot or it will kill the yeast.

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Add flour, sugar, salt, and Earth Balance to mixer bowl, using your dough hook, and turn to Speed 2.

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Gradually add the water/yeast mixture to the bowl and mix at Speed 2 for 10 minutes.

Coat the ball of dough with olive oil, cover the bowl, and store in a warm place for an hour (I used my microwave).

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Punch the dough, use your rolling pin to create a rectangle, and then roll the dough into a loaf shape, pinching the ends, and making 4 diagonal slices in the dough with a sharp knife.

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Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet, cover with a towel, and store in a warm place for another hour.

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Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Use a spray bottle to cover the dough with water and bake for 3 minutes. Repeat the water coating steps 2 more times and bake for a total of 15 minutes.

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Remove bread from oven and coat with olive oil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

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