Bread

The first time I got really excited about baking bread was more than 20 years ago. Back in the 80s bread making machine was a rarity. I visited my friend's house one day and saw that they had such a machine. I was totally fascinated, not only by the idea that you can bake bread at home, but also because a freshly baked loaf of bread smells and tastes so much better.

As soon I started work and saved up enough money, I bought my first (and only) very own bread making machine. Back in the 90s bread maker was very expensive, but I enjoyed making my own bread and eating them. The problems with bread maker though, is that the machine is quite fussy. Unless you get everything right, the bread will not turn up right. Even old flour and room temperature variation affect the quality of bread.

Then my bread maker broke, and I was too busy to bake any bread, until we moved over here. With more time at hand, I started baking bread again, and this time, without a bread maker. I find that kneading the dough by hand and baking it in a conventional oven give me far more control over the process, and hence more leeway, and more opportunity to correct any variation.

Still, home baked bread does not taste as smooth and soft as commercially baked bread. The secret - well emulsifier and conditioner.

This is my simple bread recipe, and it tastes just as nice as the one bought in the shop.

Ingredient:
2 cups of high protein/bread flour
1 - 1.5 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of bread improver (optional)
1.5 teaspoon of yeast
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of butter/vegetable shortening/oil
1 cup of water

Mix in dry ingredient, stir in oil and water.
Knead till smooth (about 10 - 20 minutes).
Optional: you can roll in any added ingredient, such as dry fruit, raisin, chocolate chips here.
Place in oiled bowl, cover with gladwrap or wet towel, let rise for an hour.
Punch down, shape and place in oiled baking pan, let rise till it is about twice the original size.
Bake in 150-180 degrees Celsius for 30 - 35 minutes
Cool on wire rake before cutting.

Bon appetit.