Quick and Easy Garlic RollsThese are great when serving any Italian dishes, and easier to fix than Italian bread!
Quick Bread from Dumpling MixI ran out of bread today, so I tried making up two packets of dumpling mix into a loaf. It came out light and aerated. The texture looked a little rubbery, so I sliced and toasted it.
Lemon Juice for Making BreadRather than buying specialised flours, you can use plain, US all purpose, flour and add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice to provide the acidic environment that yeast requires. Don't forget salt, which helps to stretch gluten.
Tips for Making BiscuitsHoe cakes can be made of flour or corn meal. The name derived from the early American practice of putting a small amount of dough on a very clean hoe blade and placing the blade atop hot coals or stones in the fireplace.
Getting Dough to Rise QuicklyI needed a quick way to get my dough to rise and I thought why not use a heating pad? I plugged it in, turned it on and checked to make sure it was not too hot.
Spatula to Remove Dough ResidueUse a spatula to clean off the dough that stuck to the counter/board when you were kneading. Just scrape away gently before adding water, and most comes off easily! Saves so much time, and paper towels.
Baking Breads in a CanUse a soup or vegetable can to bake breads, such as date nut bread. Just wash can, take paper off, spray with cooking spray, and bake. Open the other end with can opener, and the bread will slide out. Makes great little individual loaves for gift giving.
Let Dough Rise in the OvenA perfect place for dough to rise is in the oven. Its draft-free and a perfect temperature. Of course, the oven needs to be off!
Make Your Own Bread Machine MixesMake your own homemade bread machine mixes. I like to use my favorite recipe and prepare a dozen or so at a time. Prepare 12 quart Ziploc bags by labeling them (I like freezer bags to use over and over).
Let Dough Rise in MicrowaveWhen I make breads by hand, I need a nice warm, clean, out of the way place for the dough to rise. I have been putting the dough in my microwave and letting it rise there with the best results.
Rising Bread Dough Before BakingBefore putting in the dough, either set the pan in the sun, place it on range with oven on "warm" underneath, or run hot water over the pan until it is warm to the touch, then dry the pan.
Recycled Aluminum Can for Flour MeasuringI make a lot of homemade bread so I buy flour in bulk. To make measuring easier I keep a mandarin orange can in my flour container. It measures 2 cups and has grooves inside at the 1/2 and 1 cup level.
Use Your TV for Dough RisingSo you have not updated to one of those slick, slim TVs yet, and you want to bake some bread? Believe it or not, if your TV is on, it make a nice warm spot for you dough to rise.
Perfect Quick Bread LoafI have come up with an easy method to making the perfect quick bread loaf (banana bread, zucchini bread, etc). Before pouring your batter into the loaf pan, whether its glass or dark coated, line the inside of the pan with aluminum foil.
Use Water To Avoid Hard Crusts When Baking BreadWhen bread is baking, a small dish of water in the oven will help to keep the crust from getting hard.
Fixing Shiny Bread PansI just bought a couple new bread pans. Nice shiny ones. It turns out that because of the shine, the bread browns on the top, but doesn't bake or brown well on the bottom. My husband found the perfect remedy.
Use Less Quick Rise Yeast With BreadmakersI've experimented a lot over the years with recipes for my breadmaker (makes 2 pound loaves). When I use quick rise yeast, I don't use the full amount of yeast the recipe calls for.
Keeping a Cutting Board from SlippingI knead my bread on a wooden cutting board, but the board was always slipping. I happened on the solution one day by chance.
Poke Holes in Loaf Before GlazingWhen making a dessert loaf (lemon bread, banana bread, etc.) with a glaze finish, poke holes with a toothpick, in the top of the warm loaf, and then pour the glaze over it. I've been doing this for years!
Bread Baking TipsTips and recipes for making bread.
Whole Wheat Bread In The Bread MachineIf you use a bread machine, reset it after the first rising. Adding another rising cycle improves the bread's texture, making it lighter/less dense.
