Fresh bread can “make” a meal for me. I love the way it smells while it is baking, and the taste of warm bread from the oven. The downside to freshly baked bread, however, is that it often takes several hours to make!
What I love about this bread is that not only can you add the herbs you like (or that you are using in your main dish!), but also that it goes from start to finish in about an hour-and-a-half! Now that is a fresh bread I can fit into my schedule!
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Heat the milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees F.
Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir.
Add the egg and mix well. Mix for about 3 minutes.
Add enough flour to make a soft dough.
Dust your counter with flour, and knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
Grease the mixing bowl with oil. Add the dough, and turn to coat. Let rise, covered, in a warm place. The dough should double in about 30 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently press the air out of dough and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, and roll each into a long rope. Braid 3 ropes together, forming 2 loaves.
Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal, and place the loaves on the sheet. Cover, and let the loaves rise in a warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes).
Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. You may need to cover the loaves with foil for the last 10 minutes if they are browning too quickly.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter, and brush over freshly baked loaves. Enjoy!
Garden Herb Bread
Ingredients
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour can substitute up to 2 cups whole wheat in place of AP
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or two 0.25 oz pkg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.) (1/2 tsp each; 4 tsp max)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 egg
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and herbs.
- Heat milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees F. Add to dry ingredients and stir. Add egg and mix well. Mix for about 3 minutes. Add enough flour to make a soft dough.
- Dust counter with flour, and knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 6 to 8 minutes). Grease mixing bowl with oil. Add dough, and turn to coat. Let rise, covered, in a warm place. Dough should double in about 30 minutes.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Gently press air out of dough and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Divide into 6 equal portions, and roll each into a long rope. Braid 3 together, forming 2 loaves.
- Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal, and place loaves on sheet. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes).
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes if browning too quickly. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and brush over freshly baked loaves. Cool on a wire rack.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Perfect with Hamburger Vegetable Soup:
