Recipe: Basic Bread

I love the smell of freshly baked bread. Hmmmm....yum! We have had a cold and wet weekend in Sydney.  Perfect baking weather.  This is a bread recipe given to me from a lovely friend I went to school with.  

It is a really robust recipe and is all done in one bowl. Whether you use your hands or use a dough mixer is up to you.  You can choose this depending on the way your child {or you} manages the sensation on their hands. Most importantly, it is simple and easy recipe for children to follow.  

There is a waiting time as you start the process the day before to allow time for the dough to prove (double in size).  However, this time is not exact and if you forget about it for 48 hours or so, the recipe will still work.

The recipe with full steps and photographs can be found at the Your Kids OT shop.  Did you miss the blog about encouraging Kids in the Kitchen? Read about it here.

Here is the basic bread recipe in an abbreviated form. 

Recipe: Basic Bread. Kids in the Kitchen.

Your Kids OT

Ingredients
4 cups strong flour (approx)
2 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ tsp salt
1 dry yeast sachet
Polenta (not essential)

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Equipment needed
Mixing bowl
Foil
Flat-bladed knife  
Measuring cup
Measuring spoon
Plastic wrap
Mixer with dough hook (optional)
Baking tin
cooking oil spray 

Basic bread ingredients.

Basic bread equipment

Method: Stage 1
1. Mix all flour, water, salt and yeast in a bowl using a flat-bladed knife.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 18 hours (overnight, however time is not critical).

Stage 2
1. Preheat the oven to 250°C (or your highest setting). 
2. Use a mixer with dough hook (or hands) to knead the mixture.  Dough should be pourable consistency (ie. still quite wet).  Add more flour if necessary.
3. Grease the baking tin with cooking spray. Pour dough into the baking tin.  Sprinkle with extra flour or polenta (not essential).  
4. Cover baking tin with foil and bake for 40 mins, then remove foil and cook for another 5 mins.
5. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, transfer to a chopping board to slice and serve.

Message to adults...
· The mixture can be “knocked down” and kneaded by hand.  Dip your hands in cold water occasionally to help with handling the sticky mixture.  It is easier in a mixing bowl as it is very sticky.
· The dough may be placed on a greased oven tray as a free form loaf or shaped into smaller loaves. 
You may pre-heat the oven tray or baking tin, however, I have found the recipe to work without this step.
· Oven temperatures may vary so there may be a variation in cooking time.
· Adult supervision may be required when handling the baking tin and oven.

Happy baking!