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To mix in a bowl, empty the mixes into a large bowl. Mix
the yeast in the warm water and add the mixture to the bowl. Add melted
butter. (Be careful to let the butter cool below 140 degrees so that it will
not kill the yeast.) Stir with a spatula until the mass starts to stick
together. When you cannot comfortably stir any further, dump the dough onto
a floured surface and begin kneading. (The dough will likely be slightly
wetter than you can handle by hand. A tablespoon or so of flour on the
counter should make it just right. Do not add too much flour--a softer dough
will rise better.) Knead the dough until it is elastic--ten to twelve
minutes. Place it in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until
doubled--about an hour.
To mix using a stand-type mixer, empty one of the mixes
into the mixer bowl (or half of one mix if you are baking a single loaf).
Add the yeast and the water and mix with your dough hook on medium speed for
40 seconds--to start to dissolve the yeast. Add the other mix (or the rest
of the mix if you are baking one loaf) and the melted butter and continue
mixing at medium speed for another four minutes to develop the gluten. If
the dough is too sticky, add one tablespoon flour. Place the dough in a
greased bowl, cover it and let it rise until doubled--about an hour.
Once the dough has risen, you may form the dough into
rolls, a pan-shaped loaf, or a free-standing loaf.
To form a free-standing loaf, pull the dough around the
center creating a taut outer skin and a well-shaped loaf. Pinch the seams
together on the bottom and place the loaf on a baking sheet that has been
greased and sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover the loaf and let it rise until
doubled--about an hour.
To form a pan-shaped loaf, pull the dough around the
center to form a taut skin and place the loaf in a large greased 5 x 9-inch
loaf pan. Cover and let rise.
To form rolls, cut away egg-sized chunks of the risen
dough and pull the dough taut around the center of the roll as you would a
loaf, pinching the seam on the bottom. Place the rolls on a greased pan,
cover, and let rise. One bread machine mix should make a dozen medium-sized
rolls.
Most artisan loaves are baked with a thicker, chewier
crust than pan-shaped loaves. To create these crusts, the bread is baked in
a steamy environment and it is baked to a higher internal temperature in
order to drive more moisture from the loaf. (Moisture trapped in the
interior of the loaf will migrate to the crust and soften it.) The internal
temperature of crusty breads should reach 210 degrees. If you would like to
bake a crusty, artisan bread, click here for instructions.
Bake the pan-shaped loaf at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or
until done. The interior of the loaf should be at least 190 degrees.
Bake rolls for 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until
done.
If you would like to try baking these great breads from
our
Bread Machine Mixes,
you can do so for as little as $2.04 per mix.
Baking Hint: The bronze finish that you see on the loaves
in this picture was created with an egg yolk wash. Simply mix one tablespoon
warm water with one egg yolk and gently brush the wash on the loaf just
before baking.
For more articles like this visit
The Baker's Library.
© 2004
The Prepared Pantry
Article Source :
www.womenbrands.com
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