Outrageously Easy BIG Bread
2 (1/4 ounce) packets yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons turbinado
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups + 3 cups flour, divided
1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil
1. To proof yeast, pour warm water into a small ceramic bowl and add the yeast, but do not stir. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, pour hot water over the turbinado and salt; stir with a wooden spoon to completely dissolve. Combine 3 cups flour with the hot water mixture. Pour the oil on top of the dough mixture then add the yeast mixture on top of that, but do not stir.
2. Top with the remaining 3 cups flour and mix well. (I begin mixing with the wooden spoon but I very quickly have to move into squishing the dough with my hands.) At this point, the dough should be pliant and moist, but not gooey. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside to rise for at least 45 minutes. (I've left it for almost two hours.)
3. On a lightly floured cutting board or countertop, divide the dough into half. (This is when I recruit someone to knead the dough, but the recipe actually calls for no kneading; I've done this recipe many times without kneading anything, and it always turns out really good.) Flatten each half into roughly an oval/rounded rectangular shape, about 1/2-3/4" thickness.
4. Roll the dough lengthwise and place on an ungreased, but very BIG, cookie sheet. (If you don't have a very large cookie sheet, use two cookie sheets, one for each half of the dough.) Cover the dough with a moist towel and set aside to rise again for another 45 minutes (or longer).
5. After the dough has risen the second time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for exactly 23 minutes. If you can keep everyone from digging in right away, allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then enjoy. (Also, before the bread bakes, you can slit the top of each lump of dough a couple of times and brush lightly with some kind of egg substitute. The glaze helps the bread come out with a slightly crunchier crust. I don't usually bother.)
Source of recipe: Whenever I go to potlucks, I bake this bread and it disappears within minutes. I've even had special requests for it. At a family Christmas, after I found out that store-bought rolls (ick!) would be served with the Christmas Eve dinner, I announced that I would make homemade bread. Since dinner would be served in a little less than two hours and since my family knows how much I absolutely detest cooking, my mother thought I was lying. She couldn't believe that I could make "respectable" bread without any kneading and in time for dinner. I made this bread and, as usual, it vanished almost instantly. My mother got this bread recipe from me. I think the dogs got the store-bought rolls.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
This bread turned out increadible. I used 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 unbleached white flour. I don't think that I will ever buy bread again. I also split the recipie in half and I still think that I had enough dough for two loafs. This really rises a lot. Next time I plan on making the whole recipie and splitting it into two loaf pans for two loafs (freeze one and eat off the other) and maybe some rolls as well. Goes great with vegan butter or as cinnamon toast.
This bread... WOW. Thank God for it, it's certainly worth its weight in gold (well, the actual recipe obviously doesn't weigh anything, but you get the idea--- I love it). I've only made it twice now, the first time it was absolutely devoured by my sister and I, probably because we dipped it in garlic-infused olive oil, and I also found it was great for sandwiches. I actually followed the wheat recipe a few people have tested and posted (4 c. whole wheat : 2 c. white) and I found it to be great. I kneaded my dough both times I've made it, and I'd say it definitely helps.
I've been giving this recipe to a lot of people who are also VERY excited to try it--- anything to get people in the kitchen where they should be :)
Anyways, I'm excited to try it as a cinnamon-raisin bread, which I'll do this Sunday. THANKS AGAIN, SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE!
I really like this bread and I have made it several times. But it seems like nobody has noticed that the reason it is so big is because it has so much yeast in it. I always use half the yeast as it's not very healthy to eat too much yeast, and it turns out great. It is obviosly not as big, but I let it rise at least 2 hours altogether. So my advise is to use half the yeast.
What is unhealthy about eating a lot of yeast? Just wondering.
I also don't know what is unhealthy about eating a lot of yeast. But I'd like to point out that it really doesn't have a lot of yeast - 1 packet is normal for one loaf of bread (that's why they make packets of that size, for sake of ease), and this recipe makes two loaves of bread, so there is nothing at all unusual about using 2 packets of yeast for this recipe.
Hi!
I can't find where I found the info that yeast is not good for you so unfortunately I can't give you a source. But it goes something along the line that yeast thrives on sugar and eating a lot of yeast will create sugar cravings. Also it makes you more prone to yeast infections (which doesn't just affects women.) It also depends on how much store-bought bread you eat since the amount of yeast in those breads have doubled since the 1960s (and this and a lot more things can be found in "Not on the label" by Felicity Lawrence).
I don't agree with the 1 packet= 1 bread, all of my recipes yield 2 breads with 1 packet of yeast, so I think it's 1 packet= 1 batch. But then again this is the only American bread recipe I use, the rest are European so maybe it's different because of that.
Hi Jessie Lee,
I use regular Fleischmann's yeast-NOT rapid rise. It's the stuff that comes in 3 packs, usually found near the dairy items. To rise well, yeast should be "proofed" in 100 degree water or so. The water should feel pleasantly warm on your wrist. I put the yeast in my ceramic bowl first, then pour the warm water over it. Yeast rises best in a warm place. I put it next to (but not near enough to start baking) my wood stove in the winter. Another good place is in your oven-turn your oven on to warm for 5 minutes or so, then turn off. Check by putting your arm in. It should feel like Arizona in July, but not be uncomfortable. Put your bread in your large, oiled bowl & turn it over so it's all coated, then put the bowl in the oven(covered with plastic wrap or a plastic bag so it doesn't dry out), and walk away.
When you check it in 45 min, or so, DON'T punch it down unless it looks really spongy, and it stays indented when you gently press the top with a finger. If it still looks dense, or it springs back when pressed, close the door, wait another 10-15 minutes and try again. This first rising is the key to successful bread. You have to give the yeast enough time to really do its thing if you want good bread instead of large hockey pucks.
Good luck-hope this helps. The Joy of cooking has a really useful section on how/why breads rise. You might not want to buy a copy, but they have it at the public library.
I tried baking this again, halfing the recipe, and it still didnt work out. I followed the directions exactly as it says. Neither if my attempts with this bread were sucsessful, they didnt rise. thanks for the pointers, lizbelden. under what conditions dooes yeast rise? Do I need to place it in a well ventilated or warm place? what are the specifics for making yeast baking sucessful? thank you
I am the world's worst baker, but this recipe was really easy. I followed the directions perfectly and ended up with dough that was really dry! After the first rise though, i kneaded it a bit to incorporate the rest of the flour and it worked really well.
My favorite way to rise breads is to fill my bathroom sink with hot water and place the covered bowl of dough on a cookie sheet over the sink and close the door. The heat and moisture make for perfect rises and i can keep my ac on in the rest of the house.
I also kneaded in a whole head of smashed garlic into the mix. Sprinkled the top with Earth Balance, garlic powder, and poppy seeds, MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!
I really like this bread and I have made it several times. But it seems like nobody has noticed that the reason it is so big is because it has so much yeast in it. I always use half the yeast as it's not very healthy to eat too much yeast, and it turns out great. It is obviosly not as big, but I let it rise at least 2 hours altogether. So my advise is to use half the yeast.
What is unhealthy about eating a lot of yeast? Just wondering.
I also don't know what is unhealthy about eating a lot of yeast. But I'd like to point out that it really doesn't have a lot of yeast - 1 packet is normal for one loaf of bread (that's why they make packets of that size, for sake of ease), and this recipe makes two loaves of bread, so there is nothing at all unusual about using 2 packets of yeast for this recipe.
I really like this bread and I have made it several times. But it seems like nobody has noticed that the reason it is so big is because it has so much yeast in it. I always use half the yeast as it's not very healthy to eat too much yeast, and it turns out great. It is obviosly not as big, but I let it rise at least 2 hours altogether. So my advise is to use half the yeast.
What is unhealthy about eating a lot of yeast? Just wondering.
I tried making this recipe, but it did not work, the bread didnt rise at all. I dont know what I did wrong, it was new yeast, just bought. Could someone please tell me where I might have made a mistake? I want to make this, I might just try again halfing the recipe. yes, so if anyone could help me with some answers please do, thank you.
How warm was your yeast water? When you added it to the flour, etc. in the order given, it should have been all bubbled up. If it wasn't, your yeast water may have been too hot & killed the yeast, or too cool & the yeast didn't have enough time to bubble. The yeast & doing it all in the exact order/way given are the keys to this working as well as it does. Try again & good luck!
I tried making this recipe, but it did not work, the bread didnt rise at all. I dont know what I did wrong, it was new yeast, just bought. Could someone please tell me where I might have made a mistake? I want to make this, I might just try again halfing the recipe. yes, so if anyone could help me with some answers please do, thank you.
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