About Making Bread. Recipes: Bo-Pol Bread and Poppy Seed Bread

Bread:
Making the Loaf

About Bread Flour
     Pompadour Au Chocolat and Whole Wheat Herb Onion Bread
About Yeast
     Oatmeal Wheat Bread and Sweet Lemon Bread
Other Bread Essentials
     Sour Cream Cranberry Rye Bread and Mexican "Hogan" Bread
About Making Bread
     Bo-Pol Bread and Poppy Seed Bread
Bread Making Tips
     Orangy-Anise Honey-Wheat Bread and Jay's Favorite Bread

Kneading

Kneading develops the gluten in the flour to form a framework for holding the gases given off by the yeast. The KitchenAid mixer not only effortlessly tackles kneading but provides the constant rhythm necessary for best results. After all the flour has been added, continue to knead for approximately 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny, not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Brush the top of the dough with additional oil to prevent a crust from forming while rising. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm (70 degrees F to 85 degrees F) place, free from drafts.

Rising

Let the dough rise until double in size. To test the dough, depress two fingers into the center and if the dent stays, it has doubled. Punch the dough down by pushing your fist into the center of the dough and pulling the edges over to the center. Turn the dough over. Letting the dough rise a second time before shaping will yield a finer textured loaf.

Shaping

There are many ways to shape a loaf. Specialty breads, such as braids or rolls, will generally include directions in the recipes. Two simple methods for shaping standard loaves are as follows:

Form the dough into an oval the size of the pan, stretching and turning ends of the dough under and pinching into a seam. Place in prepared pan, seam side down.
Roll the dough into a rectangle slightly longer than the size of the pan. Beginning with the shorter side, roll dough towards you. Seal long seam as well as ends with hands. Fold sealed ends under and place loaf, seam side down, into prepared pan.

Baking

Place loaves in the center of the oven, leaving space for the heat to surround the pans. To check for doneness, remove one loaf from its pan and tap the bottom. If it sounds hollow it is done. Turn loaves onto racks immediately after baking to prevent sogginess.

Bo-Pol Bread

Tasty change of pace for breakfast.

2 cups milk
1 cup butter or margarine
6 to 7 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mace
2 packages active dry yeast
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons rum
1-1/2 cups raisins
1 tablespoon water
1 egg white

Combine milk and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until very warm (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F).

Place 5 cups flour, sugar, salt, mace, and yeast in bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Gradually add milk mixture, egg yolks, vanilla and rum, about 2 minutes. Add raisins.

Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Combine water and egg white. Brush tops of loaves with mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes; reduce oven to 350 degrees F and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 loaves.

Poppy Seed Bread

1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
1 cup cottage cheese, heated to lukewarm (100 degrees F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 small onion, minced
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3-3/4 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed bowl. Add cottage cheese, sugar, butter, poppy seeds, onion, egg, salt, and baking soda. Attach bowl and dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute. Add 2-1/2 cups flour. Turn to speed 2 and mix for 2 minutes. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer.

Note: Dough may not form a ball on hook; however, as long as there is contact between dough and hook, kneading will be accomplished. Do not add more than the maximum amount of flour specified or a dry loaf will result.

Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down and place in a greased 1-1/2-quart souffle dish. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and brush top with butter. Cool completely in dish before removing.

Yield: One loaf.

Provided by KitchenAid

All About Bread

This page originally published as a FoodDay article in 1997.