Petit Simple Bread: Your first step to homemade bread.

Ok, we're still in sweetest month of the year ^^, but I know that it will be great to have something less sweet to balance it, hehe, life will be better, right?

Petit Simple Bread

So, this bread is just as simple as the bread can be, the taste is quite plain but the texture is soft. It will be good for eating with any meal ^^. 

Because of the cake flour, the lower gluten make it easier to knead, and it make the texture of the bread softer too. I still got many question about bread making ^^, and I know that it's because making bread at home is making people worried then baking cake, haha. Why? The kneading, the rightness of the dough, the rising time, everything seen to be complicating if you don't use to it.

But if you ask me there are not other way to make it right than start making it right now. Making bread uses your understanding of the dough, more water if it too dry or more flour if the dough too wet, increase or decrease the rising time up to the temperature, even there are many thing to learn, you have to believe that  the bread is very forgiving. If there are no major problem you get delicious homemade bread anyway. 

But you have to keep in mind that comparing your handmade bread to a professional bakery is not a good idea, the different ingredient, recipe and many professional kinds of tools and touch make different kinds of bread too.

So just start baking something simple, and learning to understand it, I believe that one day you will be able to make the bread that you will happy with it too.

Petit Simple Bread

Makes 14

230g ................................. Bread flour

140g ................................. Cake flour

1 ........................................ Egg

2tbsp ................................ Honey

30g ................................... Unsalted butter

150-170ml ...................... Water (warm about 45 °C )

1 1/3tsp ........................... Instant yeast

1/3tsp .............................. Salt

 Mix together honey and water.

Put the flour, and yeast in a bowl, whisk to combine, add and salt whisk again. Pour the egg and honey mixture , together with the egg into the bowl.

Use large spoon (or pastry scraper) to mix everything together, and knead briefly to bring all the ingredients together (add more water if the dough's too dry).

Take the dough out of the bowl and knead, you will see the dough will be elastic after about 2 minutes.

 Add the butter and knead by using the heel of your hands to compress and push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself. Give the dough a little turn and repeat. Put the weight of your body into the motion and get into a rhythm. Keep folding over and compressing the dough. Knead for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is soft, pliable, smooth and slightly shiny, almost satiny.

See how to knead bread, here.
Put the dough into a light buttered bowl. Let the dough rise in a warm place until double in size (can be 1 hour or 1 hour and a half check often depend on the temperature).

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

Take the dough out of the bowl, deflate by touch it lightly.

Cut the dough into 14 pieces roll into a ball and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Press the center of the dough and with a wood stick to make a mark , do the same for the rest of the dough.

Let the dough rise until almost double in size, about 1 hour.

Sprinkle with flour before baking.

If you want the mark to be clear use a back of a knife press it lightly again.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Petit Simple Bread

Petit Simple Bread: Your first step to homemade bread.