Bread is one of the basic foodstuffs. Anyone who has smelled a fresh baked bread can remember the soft, warm and comforting feelings it calls forward. No wonder fresh, hot, out of the oven bread can be eaten in a flash. Practically nothing is needed, since hot bread is practically a finished dish. Maybe a touch of butter or a pinch of salt, but this is really not needed. Below are some of my favorite recipes. Fairly easy to make, but everytime a spectacular result.
No-knead bread
As the title suggests, this one is done with minimal work involved. But it does require time, so look elsewhere if you are in a hurry. The basic idea is simple: mix all the ingredients, leave overnight for the dough to form and bake in the morning. Perfect for a heart warming breakfast!
Ingredients
- 400 g flour
- 1 g (1/4 teaspoon) dried yeast
- 4 g (3/4 teaspoon) salt
- 350 mL warm water
- Metal or ceramic baking pot with a lid
- Butter for greasing the pot
Mix flour, yeast and salt. Add water and mix to evenly wet the powders. No need to get an even mix, there can be patches of dry flour. The time will be on your side to get the dough fluffy and even. Now, ideally leave the mix standing overnight or at least for 6-8 hours.
Put the pan covered with the lid in an oven and heat it to 250 °C. Carefully take it out and grease it with butter. Carefully, the pan is really hot! Pour the dough in the pan. The dough should increase to at least twice its initial volume and is relatively fluid. Use a spoon to scrape everything in the hot pan. Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 30 minutes at 250 °C (the oven is already hot). After 30 minutes, remove the lid and decrease the temperature of the oven to 230 °C. Bake for 15 more minutes and you are done. Just take the hot, crunchy loaf out of the pan, wrap it in a cloth for 5 minutes and you can start your dream breakfast!
Hot bread
This one is also easy to prepare. And you should definitely eat it while it’s hot, as its warmth enhances the flavor and texture. So it is perfect for diners with friends or expanded midday snacks. The best part is that you should break it into pieces with your hands, which adds another layer of fun. Tearing of suitable pieces is super easy because of the way you prepare the dough before baking.
Ingredients
- 500 g white flour
- 7 g dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 300 ml warm water
Mix one tablespoon of flour, dry yeast, sugar and 50 mL of warm water. Allow the mixture to increase at least twice in volume (this is your “starter”). Mix flour and salt, then add 250 mL of warm water and the yeast mix. Knead to a soft dough. You can use a mechanical kneading machine – when the dough does not stick to the sides of the vessel, the dough is ready. Rest the dough until it reaches twice the starting size or at least 20 minutes in a warm place. Form it in a low loaf, not thicker than 3 centimeters. With a dinner knife cut it net-wise into pieces (the cut must be practically through the dough). This scoring creates the easy-to-tear sections. For that extra shine, cover the loaf evenly with a beaten egg and bake at 220 °C for 20-25 min. Eat while hot and don’t be shy to break the bread with your hands. Enjoy!
