Yeast Bread

In my somewhat lofty goal of eating locally this coming summer I decided to tackle the ideas of breads. If I could make a bread with local flours and butters, I wouldn't have to make one more exception. Yeast breads to me have always been similar to bricks. I try and try and the bread smells delicious. And weighs about 18 pounds. It's deadly!

This time, for some reason it worked. I let the bread rise in the oven with the light on and it rose over the bowl!

Here is the recipe that I was able to use as the yeast-challenged:

2 packages yeast disolved in 2.5 cups warm water for 5 minutes

Add 2 tablespoons of honey and one of salt and mix together. Add 2 tablespoons oil and mix.
Add 3 cups of flour and mix until smooth
Add additional 3 cups of flour until doughy.

On a floured surface (I found that I needed two more cups of flour for the kneading) knead the bread until springy.
Let rise in a greased bowl for 1.5 hours (this is where letting it rise in the oven with the light on helped!)

After it has doubled, divide into two balls, rolling out into loaf shapes. Put them on a cooking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and allow to rise until double (it took me about 45 minutes). Then bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Simple! And it worked!

The effect was more of a cheaper white bread than a good artisanal bread like the ones I always get sucked into paying $4.50 a loaf for, but it was cheap and made with local flour and honey!