Simple yeast bread - Get some!

If you grew up in suburban America like I did, you might have missed out on something that most Europeans take for granted:  delicious yeast breads.  Sure, Wonder Bread has its positive qualities (err... it's cheap?), but before I had my eyes opened to the magic that is Bread (with a capital B) it was all I really knew.

We deserve better, America!  Instead of walking two blocks to find yet another Starbucks, wouldn't it be magical to stumble upon a bakery?  Perhaps one that has delicious, soft-pretzels on display?  Or donuts?  Or chocolate cake?  Or... I could get lost in the memories of Austria's Konditoreien and Bäckereien.  And yes, there are German words for bakeries that specialize in sweet treats (Konditorei) and yeast treats (Bäckerei).  EVEN THE WORDS SHOW WHAT WE ARE MISSING.

Anyway, I went on this tirade simply to let you know how easy it is to remedy this problem, and you don't even have to shell out the big bucks (Chicago has plenty of bakeries, but simple yeast breads can go for $5 to $7 dollars, and I wouldn't even pay that when I had a job).

Here's a recipe that is super easy to make and super difficult to screw up.  Give it a try, and let me know how it turned out!

Almost Idiot-proof Bread
Adapted from AllRecipes
Yield:  One loaf
Total time:  2 1/2 hours

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

1.  In a small bowl, mix the sugar and warm water.  Add yeast.  Let this mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has proofed.

2.  Meanwhile, 2 cups of flour and salt in a larger mixing bowl.  Once the yeast mixture is ready, mix with the dry ingredients.  Add the oil and mix in the remaining flour (as needed).  Mix together until you have a pretty good mound of dough, then transfer it to a flat surface to knead.  Knead for about 5-10 minutes.  Coat with small amount of oil and return to bowl.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm (but not hot) place.  Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size (about an hour).

3.  Punch down the dough after allowing to rise.  Knead for a couple minutes.  Shape into a load and place into an oiled bread pan.  Let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes for until dough has risen 1 inch above pan.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

4.  Place the dough into the hot oven.  Cook at 450 degrees F for about 7 minutes.  

5.  After cooking at the higher temperature, lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and cook for the remaining 20 to 25 minutes.  

Just a note, you don't have to go through the trouble of cooking at two different temperatures, but starting out hot and gradually cooling the bread will make a really beautiful and crisp crust.  Yum!