Our Daily Bread

I am not what you’d call domesticated. For years my mother tried with me, but it just didn’t stick. I do not like the “kitchen”. I can cook but I’m not going to fight you to cook. But when the baking company increases the price of their bread, what’s a girl supposed to do?...Bake her own! 

I went on a one woman campaign in my household to stop the purchase of bread. 

“I will bake our daily bread!” I said. And so began my new assignment…Bread Baker. I pored over various bread recipes but there was just too much involved…ain’t nobody got time for that! I’ll find an easy way to be in and out of the kitchen in no time. If I’m going to be doing this almost every day, I want no tedious measuring, no long waiting, no back-breaking kneading. Then I remembered how my sister made dinner rolls. 

“Throw in some flour, then some baking powder, three handfuls of sugar…” those were her exact instructions to me...needless to say, I was somewhat perplexed at the time. By the way, is it handsful or handfuls? Anyway you know what I mean. That’s my kind of recipe…that’s what I’ll do. I’ll take that recipe, tweak it a bit here and there, and make bread. 

So, I made bread. It was delicious, if I may say so myself. Now the household’s new cry is, “Give us our daily bread!” 

Today I’ve decided to share my bread baking journey with you. It’s bread baking made easy and it’s delicious too.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 pack of flour

baking powder

1 stick of butter/margarine melted

1 sachet yeast

3 handfuls of brown sugar

a little cooking oil

lukewarm water

a little milk at room temperature

2 large bowls

1 wooden spoon

baking pans

1 sharp knife

1 rolling pin

1 pastry brush (optional)

1 wooden skewer for testing (also optional)

Now, in one of the large bowls, dissolve the sugar in some lukewarm water; add the yeast and let sit for about 10 minutes...should be all bubbly by then

In the other bowl, empty almost all the flour; throw in some baking powder…mix together. I like to use a whisk.

After the yeast has bubbled up stir well, add the melted butter, mix well, then stir in the milk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet. 

I do a little at a time and not all at once just because I find it easier to manipulate. 

And, I use the handle of the wooden spoon to stir it in. My husband can't understand why, I just like to...keeps my hands clean.



Note that after a while you won’t be able to use the spoon and will have to resort to getting your hands all messy.

Knead the dough until everything’s mixed in properly, adding more flour until both your hand and the mixing bowl are fairly clean.

The dough should be a little sticky, but not sappy.






Now place a little cooking oil in the empty bowl aka the bowl you used to mix together the flour and the baking powder. You may have to dust it out ever so slightly.



Transfer the dough into that bowl, coat it with the oil by turning it in the oiled bowl on one side then the other. 






Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for 1 hour. 


I like to place mine in the oven, where it’s dark, warm and cozy.





In the meanwhile grease the baking pans, clean up your mess, and in particular a section of the kitchen counter or table where you’d be rolling out the dough in preparation for baking.

The hour’s up, and your dough has risen…wow! See how huge it is? Looks like the surface of the moon! Sprinkle some of the remaining flour onto your cleaned counter top or table...

Punch down the dough a bit and empty onto the floured work space. Cut into sections.

Make into large balls by folding and squeezing the ends together.

Flour the rolling pin and the work space again and roll out the ball into an oval shape. 

(Keep flouring the rolling pin and work space as the need arises.)

Using your hands, roll the dough from one end to the other, pinch seams together to close, fold ends under and pinch to close, place into greased pans seam side down.

Cover, and let rise for 30-45 minutes…again I place in the oven...

I also place an oven safe dish of water into the oven...leave it in there while the bread's baking

After the loaves have risen, bake for 30 minutes at around 180 degrees Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit...

Your bread is done! Remove from the oven, brush with some melted butter, remove from pan, and try to let it cool before slicing into it. Yes, you have to let it cool...try.

Cut a couple slices, smear with jelly, jam or butter or a slab of cheddar cheese, or leave it plain and eat. Mmmmmm...

Well done! You're a Bread Baker!

Our Daily Bread Shelley Johnson 25-Sep-15