Monday, February 15, 2010

D'oh!

There's nothing like a fresh loaf of bread. Straight out of the oven, glistening with butter, it's enough to make me swoon.


Homemade bread was my first love you know. I used to make bread all the time growing up but sadly, I haven't even attempted it since I've been married. I love baking.


(And not just for the excuse to wear an apron).


I've been thinking about bread a lot lately and the relationship we once had and last Sunday I thought it was about time I rekindle our flame!


I baked bread.


Everything was going well. The apron, the ingredients, the Kitchen Aid.




Oh yeah,

the Kitchen Aid.


I've never made bread with a Kitchen Aid before. I guess it's not made to hold 9 cups of flour.


That became apparent only after the sheet of flour erupted, covering everything within 2 feet of it's premises.







Just a small set back, but this scene is not unfamiliar to me. My husband knows that when I'm baking in the kitchen it's always best to stay out until I'm finished.


It gets messy.


Real messy.


So I ended up kneading the dough by hand and everything was fine.




After the dough raised, and after Al just HAD to punch it down eleven times, it was time to roll it out.





I divided the dough in two, one for a plain loaf and one for my personal favorite, a cinnamon loaf!


You've always got to make at least one cinnamon loaf.


Always.


For the cinnamon goodness, you brush the dough with butter.





And cover it with cinnamon and sugar.


A ton of cinnamon and sugar. The more the better.




Then, you roll it up and throw it in a loaf pan.




Doesn't that look perfect? Wow, I didn't realize I still had it in me but, as you can see, that is one perfect rolled pile of dough!


I was excited, everything was going great. In the oven it went and filled my house with the smell of warm cinnamon and sugar.


Mmmmmm...


And then out of the oven came the most perfect loaf:






Mwwaaahh!






Okay okay, that's not how mine turned out at all.


More like this lumpy pile if crap:




(As you can see, I'm a little rusty at the whole rolling up and pinching shut thing.)





Oh bread. Why must our love be a one way street? I love you so much yet you still find it necessary to embarrass me.


So now I feel the need to redeem myself. I want to make the most perfect loaf of bread ever, but I need the perfect bread recipe. One that is tried and true.


Tried. And. True.


I know you've got the recipe I'm looking for so com'on,


SPILL IT.

46 comments:

brokenteepee said...

Buy Secrets of a Jewish Baker.
It's my bread bible. I make all of our bread here. I have for years and I have never failed using this book. It has great instructions for rolling etc.

I made three loaves of Challah this weekend and oddly they only required 6 cups of flour....hmmmm

Kristina P. said...

Yours looks even better!

The Wife O Riley said...

Ok, I do have a really good recipe. But I have to warn you, it is quite a task. It's my grandmother's recipe and It takes a full day to make. If you are interested, I'll find it and email it you. Just let me know.

Mindy, Tyler, and Kids said...

I've got one that I made for all my friend's Christmas presents this last Christmas! It's yummy and I'll send you the recipe...and it works in the kitchen aid without making too much of a mess. ('cause I'm notorious for making a mess too!)

Suzi said...

Any bread I don't make is always a winner. Looks great!

Jen said...

That looks fabulous. I gotta give you mad props. I have not yet tried to make my own bread.

Jason, as himself said...

Your lumpy loaf looked like some sort of small animal hunkered down in the pan, I'm not going to lie.

My mom used to bake bread every Monday. But I hated it because I just wanted real bread like all the other kids (like Wonder). My sandwiches were always so weird looking and tasted funny.

I had issues.

Justine said...

Poo, for goodness sakes, didn't you see my artisan bread recipe I posted a few weeks ago? Go to my blog and go to the January archives and look for it. There's no Kitchen Aide required, no KNEADING required and it makes the most delicious, yummy bread ever!!!!

Justine :o )

Shandal said...

Haha! That's how mine would turn out too. Don't feel bad! :)

AiringMyLaundry said...

Now I want some bread.

I cheat and buy mine from Wal-Mart.

Julia said...

From one who has trouble getting bread to rise from time to time I have found it is all in the kneading and rising temps. I think any recipe works as long as you get that combo right. Basically you have to get your wrists into searing pain to get the proper kneading effect.

Not what you wanted to hear right?

Kasey said...

I think it looks great. I have never made bread but would like too.

Brian Miller said...

no recipe here...but i would eat it...

Lee said...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=1&ex=1165640400&en=e68cd90163bf6502&ei=5070

I've made it, my mom's made it.
It's delicious, and very easy. Hard to mess up. Just don't use the wrong flower.
Then it's a brick.

Otherwise, it's easy.

Marissa said...

I don't have a good bread recipe...I always just through a frozen Rhodes loaf in a pan ;o)...BUT, I too LOVE LOVE LOVE baking and I have to pass on my tip/hint for that front. Trash the Kitchen-Aid and go buy a Bosch mixer! My mom's had one since before I was born, so I guess that makes hers at least 29+ years old. We used to make EVERYTHING in it. We used to make a quadruple (yep quadruple) batch of cookie dough in it and it wouldn't even faze it. I also had been using a Kitchen-Aid and thought it would be amazing because of all the hype people make about it. Turns out it's no match for the serious baker.

Unknown said...

I think it looks delicious : ) and totally perfect! Imperfect is perfect in my book! My Mom makes cinnamon rolls and now you have me craving one of those... : )

Anonymous said...

Mmmmm... homemade bread. It is one of life's most glorious sins.

I think you're version looks pretty damn awesome. If I wasn't allergic to gluten, I would be in my car on my way to your house right now. Even though I don't know you. Or where you live.

Mike said...

My Dad is actually the bread baker!

He bakes bread every day as a hobby!

He is fat! LOL!

Stacy Uncorked said...

Now see, I think your loaf turned out completely respectable. And absolutely edible. And undoubtedly delicious. ;)

Two words for you: Bread Machine.

I love mine second only to my Kitchen Aid. :)

Christine Macdonald said...

My recipe for great bread are the map quest directions to Panera.

I want to roll around in that and shampoo with melted butter.

I just gained five pounds.

Totally worth it.

Unknown said...

I use a white bread recipe from Betty Crockers Best of Baking. So yummy!

Laura said...

Ok in a kitchenaid add 2 cups bread flour, yeast (I use SAF best ever) 1 1/2 cups warm water, tsp salt and sugar, run for 2 minutes scrape sides
add drizzle of olive oil
run 2 more minutes
slowly add flour 1/2 cup at a time until it is smooth and climbs up the bread hook before dropping back down
don't add too much at a time
turn it into a greased bowl, turn to coat
cover with a damp towel let rise in a warm place
punch down
roll up 2 loaves put in greased pans rise again bake in 350˚ for 20-30 minutes
I bake all our bread every week this way it never fails, I love SAF yeast because it is instant which means it rises in about 1/2 hour or so

KICK ASS BREAD

Yes I am the Queen of All but you can get up off the floor now you're embarrassing me....no really don't kiss my feet :D

Renee Campbell said...

Today must be your lucky day! I have THE recipe, I make it twice a week and my kids love it!

1/3 oil
1/3 sugar (any sweetener will do)
1 T yeast
2C Hot water

Add the above in the mixer and let stand for 15 minutes, it will become nice and frothy.

Then add....

2t salt
2-3 T wheat gluten
3C flour, mix until combined.
Then add 3 more cups of flour with the dough hook attached and knead for ten minutes.

Rise until doubled, then separate into two loaves and rise again.

Stick them in the oven with a cake pan on the bottom full of water (it will make a delightful crust).

Set the oven to 325 and set the timer for 35 minutes (Do not preheat)

Enjoy!!!

PS I usually use white or red wheat but I any combination of flours will work, with Red wheat, just add 3T of gluten instead of two.

KK said...

Bread is my weakness. Well, and chocolate and dr. pepper and pizza. Maybe I'm just weak...

tattytiara said...

1) Buy bread mix
2) add water
3) mush it up
4) bake

It probably wouldn't kill me to try something more challenging one of these days, but I'm just not ready yet. I don't even have an apron!

Formerly known as Frau said...

Yummy it just has to taste good doesn't need to be pretty!

Rebecca Jo said...

The world is a better place with bread in it...

Bread is truly my favorite of ANY food... add the cinnamon & butter... oh my gosh, I think my heart skipped a beat...

Donnetta said...

Spill it? Didn't you already spill it? 'Cause I see flour everywhere!!

Alas, my bread is bought at the bakery. Not a baking bone in my body.

Vee said...

Stopping by from SITS - that bread looks AMAZING! Anything that's even remotely not good for me, I love!

Stop by my blog if you get a chance!

Vee
www.veronking2003.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Look in the recipe book I gave you Pioneer Woman there is one in there. Great job.

Cris said...

Ok now that it is the right person look in Pioneer Woman cookbook for a recipe.

Alexis AKA MOM said...

I think it looks amazing! I've done some great ones but all in the bread maker I'm lazy like that ... lol :)

Jeanne said...

Pooba,

This post made me hungry! I don't bake... as in EVER! So, you are doing far better than me! Flying flour would be inconsequential compared to what disasters I could "cook up". Get it? "COOK UP"? Haha. So... alas, I have no recipes to share with you. All I can do is reassure you that you are a far, far better cook than me. I assure you!

Jeanne

JennyMac said...

I LOVE homemade bread and took a four hour class several weeks ago solely on bread making. I have been making challah every weekend. Let me know if you want the recipe. It is AMAZING.

And your bread looks awesome. Where is my slice?

Queenie Jeannie said...

I suck at homemade bread. Truly. I can't even get my bread MACHINE to do good bread.


Yours looks divine and I'm jealous! If you want FABULOUS cinnamon, get the Pampered Chef mix. Worth every damn penny!!!!

Hugs!

Anonymous said...

I wish I could help you...but I have never attempted to bake bread! Good luck!

Nana said...

Oh, Pooba. I think your bread looks delish. I am sorry I never replied with a good recipe. I DON'T have one. I have been flirting with making bread for years. I just have not done it yet. I have even gone to classes. I am intimidated by it. At least you tried.

I have a killer roll recipe though!!!! If I can make those babies I should probably be able to make a loaf. (of bread that is)

I will post the roll recipe.

Claremont First Ward said...

Still laughing. My bread pretty much always sucks. I always screw up my rolls too.

I think our cinnamon roll looks good enough to devour. Any left over for me?

Together We Save said...

Oh who care how it looks... I bet it is yummy!!

Windthicket Fables said...

I'm sorry! I don't bake bread, though it looks delicious! I make pumpkin and lemon bread, but it's like quick dessert bread- like making a cake. Nothing like this. It looks delicious!

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Closer to Lucy said...

Lol, I don't think your bread looks bad. I have a one-sided love of bread as well. I try, but I can't make it like Grammy did.

You'll have to share which recipe worked out for you.

CLUFF FAMILY said...

Just met a girl that was on drill with you at SUU. Brooke? She is way nice. She remembers you. We are starting to do a babysitting co-op together. She has a fix-it-up blog. I'll give it to ya later. I have a bread maker. I LOVE it. I dont buy bread anymore. I have to make bread every other day. That is how much we use. It is the best though! Ya just dump the ingredients and it does the rest! TA DA!

Karin Katherine said...

Make my bagels...make them!
And don't you like how they are "my bagels" now...like I invented them.

You'll feel the same way when you take them out of the oven.

Do it!

Recipe on my blog.

LCO's said...

Um... That bread is on moms oven... and she lives 2 minutes away from me and no one told me there was going to be crap bread there! I would have dropped everything to come try you poo bread. Thanks for calling me douche.

LadyStyx said...

My dad used to make the best home-made breads. Plain...cinnamon...a nice sourdough. Yummy. The house always smelled soooo nice!