Bake your own Bread

There is something therapeutic and warm and inviting about the smell of freshly baked bread. Like, all will be well in the world and that, we will overcome all our worries! I obviously love bread! To the extent, that for me the high point of travelling to a new place is to sample the local bread - Goan Poi, Maharashtrian bhrun, the airy French Baguette, handcrafted Turkish bread, the Californian sprouted grain loaf and many yummy more...

Bread is so versatile, you can make it with all kinds of grains, nuts and seeds and also eat it with everything from curries and soups to a humble peanut butter- banana sandwich, which incidentally I cannot live without!
The recipe that I am sharing today is a tried and tested basic white bread (from the book
"Cooking Light Way to Bake") that has been veganized, and once you learn to bake this well, then a whole wheat or multigrain or any other variety of bread gets much easier to bake and experiment with. Although this is white bread, it is still preservative and chemical free. So, enjoy!!!

Ingredients
1 tsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1 1/4 cups warm water divided
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
olive oil

Process
1. Dissolve the sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. This step is called proofing. Soon the mixture will start bubbling.
2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Add the remaining 1 cup water, flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (for about 7 mins, use a timer to ensure proper kneading).






4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with olive oil, turning to coat the top. Cover with cling film, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 mins or until doubled in size. Gently press 2 fingers into dough, if the indentation remains, dough has risen enough.

5. Punch down the dough, cover and let rise for 30 mins.
6. Punch down again and cover and let it rest for 10 mins.













7. Now roll the dough into a rectangle over a floured surface. Roll up tightly and press firmly to eliminate air pockets. pinch the seams and ends. Place it in the loaf pan coated with olive oil , seam side  down. Cover and let it rise for 30 mins or till doubled.
8. Gently brush with olive oil. Bake at 250*C for 12 mins and then reduce the temperature to 220*C and bake for another 10-15 mins, until the loaf sounds hollow (you can tap on it to check).


                                                                                 

                                                                           

9. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
10. Cut a slice, spread some organic (salt, sugar and hydrogenated oil free) peanut butter and slice a banana and ENJOY!