Pleasant Valley Plant Farm

Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you.  It is the basic bread dough recipe I use for almost all my bread needs.  I use it for regular loaves, French bread, dinner rolls, soft bread sticks and pizza crust.  Love that bakery smell !!!      

    Ingredients :

2 cups warm water  ( @ 110 degrees )

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons butter,margarine or shortening ( @ room temperature )

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour ( or whole wheat flour )

4 – 5 cups additional all purpose flour

    Directions :

Wisk together first six ingredients until smooth.  Then with large spoon ( I prefer a wooden spoon ), stir in remaining flour, one cup at a time until dough forms a ball and starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto floured surface and need dough until slightly elastic ( springs back a little when press ).  Place in a greased bowl , turning once to grease top, cover and let rise to double ( @ 1 hour ).

For loaves, divide dough :  3 regular pan loaves or 2 French loaves : On floured surface, flatten dough and roll up in log shape, pinch together the seam and each end , shape into a loaf and place in greased loaf pans or on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise to double ( @ 1 hour ).  French loaves can be carefully bushed with half egg white and half water mixture and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Bake loaves at 375 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes, until golden brown.  Brush or rub regular loaves with butter.  After about 5 minutes remove from pans and cool on wire racks.

For dinner rolls or bread sticks : Pinch off egg sized balls for rolls  ( with butter or greased hands ) , and shape into balls for rolls or roll out with hands into long sticks and place about 1 inch apart on greased baking sheet.  Cover and let rise to double, ( @ 45 minutes ).  Bread sticks can be brushed with egg white and water mixture, then sprinkled with sesame seeds.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 –22 minutes, until golden brown.  Brush or rub dinner rolls with butter. Remove from baking sheet and on wire racks.

For Pizza , divide dough : 3 thick crust or 4 thin crust : On greased pizza pans, ( with greased hands ) press dough out  from center of pan to outer edge of pan in a circular clock like manner.  DO NOT LET RISE AGAIN. Top with your favorite toppings and bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, until cheese bubbles and crust is golden brown.