Bread is delicious....and knowing how to make your own bread is even better! I love baking bread and how delicious is makes the house smell! This herb bread is perfect for pairing with pastas and soups and even making into sandwiches!
We've baked bread at home for as long as I can remember. That's probably why I love with smell of fresh baked bread so much! We make a variety of bread, but one of my favorites is Herb Bread! We love to eat it with pasta and dip it into soups! Its perfect for chilly fall and winter days!
Baking bread often seems really hard to people who haven't tried it before. It isn't hard at all, you just have to have some patience! Its really just as simple as that!
This bread is super soft and fluffy! I have added herbs to this bread, but you could add anything you wanted { Like sun dried tomatoes, olives, onions....}. It really is up to you!
Ingredients:
2-3 cups All Purpose Flour
2-3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 tbs Dry Active Yeast
4 tsb Sugar or other form of sweetener { I use maple syrup a lot }
4 tbs Olive Oil+ a little extra
Herbs of Choice
Salt
2 cups warm { body temp.} Almond Milk
Start by warming your almond milk. You don't want it too hot, so be careful. You should be able to stick a finger in the milk and it be about the same temp. Add in the sugar and yeast and stir to combine. Leave this mixture alone for 5 minutes.
Pour the yeast mixture into a stand mixture and add in the olive oil.
Mix to combined and then start adding in the flour. I alternate Whole Wheat and All Purpose flours. Mix a tsp or 2 of salt into one of your cups of flour. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO ADD THE SALT DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE YEAST. THAT WOULD KILL THE YEAST AND YOUR BREAD WOULD BE FLAT.
Add flour and mix until the dough forms and the sides of the bowl are clean. This mixture also shouldn't be too sticky.
Not it is time to knead. You can do it my hand, but I recommend a stand mixer. Knead the dough for 10-11 minutes. Then, remove the dough hook from the bowl and cover to allow for rising.
Let the dough rise of at least 1 hour. It is hasn't at least doubled in size by then, give it more time until it dose.
Preheat your oven to 170F or put it on the Keep Warm setting. Grease a baking sheet ( preferably a round one) and your hands and punch the dough down.
Place the dough onto the greased baking sheet and keep working it into a desired shape. I went for a flat, round shape. You could also slit the dough and bake it in load pans, or make dinner rolls.
If you choose the flat round shape, use your fingers to make indentions all over the top of the dough. Then use a pastry brush to brush on olive oil. Sprinkle salt and herbs over the oiled surface. The more the better!
If you chose a loaf or dinner rolls, simply do everything but punching the holes.
Place the bread into the preheated oven and let it rise for 15-30 minutes. Then, turn the oven temp. up to 350F and bake for 28-35 minutes. Dinners rolls will bake for 15-20 minutes. You want the bread to be brown and hard to the touch and it should lift from the pan easily.
Once it has baked, remove from the pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack. If you leave it in/on the pan too long the crust will become soggy and soft.
The salt and herbs add a delicious flavor punch when you bite into it! It goes well with just about any meal! The following night we dipped the bread into vegetable soup and it was just as delicious!
Baking bread isn't hard and people should do more of it! Its a relaxing and rewarding thing to do and its one of my favorite things to bake! Get creative with it and let me know what you like to add to your bread!
I really hope you enjoyed this recipe and post! Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of eating delicious healthy food and living a healthy lifestyle!
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Happy Bread Making! Stay Healthy!
Hannah
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