learn to bake bread

I love EATING bread, which is why I learned to make it (like the 6 other things I can make ) and it does taste much better than anything I’ve dumped out of the bread machine.

yummy!

this is:

http://ww2.kingarthurflour.com/cgibin/htmlos.cgi/48211.4.51630822052219150964

Edibility has not yet been tested.

much better! the rolls came out great.

variations:
kneaded for 10 minutes
egg whited after rising
and it only takes about 2 c of flour to get really good dough

next: some kind of loaf

http://www.ehow.com/how_13898_knead-bread-dough.html

the magic words “it is difficult to over-knead by hand” – that’s what I needed. And I didn’t knead for anything close to 10 minutes..

well, tried it.

It’s not quite right. They taste fine, but the texture is more like my buttermilk biscuits than like mom’s rolls. I’ll have to buy more yeast and try again after reading up on how much kneading is correct for bread.. (that’s my “theory” on what went wrong)

got my mom’s dinner roll recipe:

Rich Dinner Rolls in an Hour

3 c. bread flour
2 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt (I usually didn’t add this)
5 tsp “faster” yeast
2 T unsalted butter or margarine
2 large eggs, reserving one white for the crust
3/4 c hot tap water

Mix the dough, using your best method (let me know if you need guidelines or details). Let rest 5 minutes, then form into 16 rolls, brushing with egg white (don’t let it run down the sides, it sticks). Allow to rise until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

how to mix the dough:
get a big bowl and put in the water, then sprinkle on the yeast. Wait about 5 minutes for the yeast to start dissolving, then stir in the other wet ingredients, then the dry ones, holding back about the last 1/2 cup of flour. Add just enough flour to make a dough that hangs together, even though it’s very sticky. Knead the dough on the counter or table, or even in the bowl if it’s big enough. Fold it and press down on it, adding more sprinkles of flour as needed until the dough is resilient – about the texture of the relaxed muscle of your lower arm. And that’s dough!

and now i have those in one place.

what’s special about bread flour?