Bread is so fun to make, I swear. Before this, I thought I would need a bread maker to literally make a bread. But oh hell no, this recipe is so darn easy (even for a cooking noob) and requires only your good o' oven. The result? Simply amazing - a nice crusty exterior with a soft, fluffy centre.
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Difficulty: Easy-ish
Yields 1 loaf
Ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water
1/8 cup sugar
1 packet (1 tbs) dry yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/4 tbs olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
butter, for brushing
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3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbs vanilla extract
1 1/4 tbs olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
butter, for brushing
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Steps
1. Combine warm water and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the yeast and let it proof (for about 10 minutes).
3. In the same bowl, stir in the olive oil, salt and vanilla extract.
4. Add in the flour, one cup at a time, thoroughly mixing it after each addition. If it is still sticky, add in more flour, but sparingly.
5. When it is easy to handle, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth. You can do the windowpane test to determine if your dough is ready: simply stretch the dough using your fingers, if it breaks, continue kneading, if it can stretch like an underwear (sorry, bad example), then it's ready.
6. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a warm, moist towel on top.
7. Let the dough rise till doubled, in Singapore's weather, it will take approximately only 30 minutes.
8. When it's done rising, take it out onto a floured surface and punch it down till it returns to its original size.
9. Form the dough into a nice log shape and throw it into an oiled loaf pan.
10. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and warm, moist towel and let it rise for another 20-30 minutes.
11. Once risen, uncover the pan and place it into an oven (not preheated). Turn it on to 170 Degree Celsius and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Do not transfer it out immediately when it's done baking. Let it cool for about 30 minutes in the oven (remember to switch it off) before transferring it to a cooling rack.
13. Lightly butter the top of each loaf. Slice into serving portions (about 1 to 1.5cm slices) with a serrated knife.
2. Add the yeast and let it proof (for about 10 minutes).
3. In the same bowl, stir in the olive oil, salt and vanilla extract.
4. Add in the flour, one cup at a time, thoroughly mixing it after each addition. If it is still sticky, add in more flour, but sparingly.
5. When it is easy to handle, turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth. You can do the windowpane test to determine if your dough is ready: simply stretch the dough using your fingers, if it breaks, continue kneading, if it can stretch like an underwear (sorry, bad example), then it's ready.
6. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a warm, moist towel on top.
7. Let the dough rise till doubled, in Singapore's weather, it will take approximately only 30 minutes.
8. When it's done rising, take it out onto a floured surface and punch it down till it returns to its original size.
9. Form the dough into a nice log shape and throw it into an oiled loaf pan.
10. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and warm, moist towel and let it rise for another 20-30 minutes.
11. Once risen, uncover the pan and place it into an oven (not preheated). Turn it on to 170 Degree Celsius and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
12. Do not transfer it out immediately when it's done baking. Let it cool for about 30 minutes in the oven (remember to switch it off) before transferring it to a cooling rack.
13. Lightly butter the top of each loaf. Slice into serving portions (about 1 to 1.5cm slices) with a serrated knife.
Now you have your very own homemade bread that you make FROM SCRATCH!
The bread will be good to keep for two days.