Baking Bread

I’ve had other crumpets but the TJ ones are just special!

Going to look for that NYT recipe…

Found the recipe - @runnersmom did you bake on a stone or in a loaf pan. Sounds like it makes a lot - I don’t always have room to store in the refrig for a couple of weeks…wonder if I could cut it in half?? I’ll have to read some of the comments…

Store bread in the freezer, not the fridge.

^^This was the dough before baking - the recipe makes 4 loaves - you can make one loaf at a time and store the remaining in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before baking.

"In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it."

Ah, got it. Sorry for my misdirection!

I have a stone but baked it in a nonstick loaf pan that I wiped with olive oil. I have a 1/2 sheet pan that I put in the bottom of the oven and into which I put the cup of water as I was ready to shut the door.
To be honest, what’s left looks like enough for 3 loaf sized loaves but I can confirm that tomorrow! It was delicious…we didn’t find it too salty (per some of the NYT comments) and the crust was perfect.

I have made the Simple Crusty Bread as well. I have used baguette pans as well as just a pizza stone, its always great. However, I have not had luck with leaving it in the fridge for 2 weeks before baking - my dough was bad (separated and grey) by around 10 days.

@HMom16 - excellent idea! That’s so much quicker.

Best cinnamon or sticky buns EVER

As a beginner bread maker, I watched the recipe video on Biggerbolderbaking website, search “sticky buns”, and have made her recipe 3 times now. The buns taste absolutely amazing and are very professional looking. The recipe requires a lot of work, but I make the recipe to the point where the buns are in the tin and then I refrigerate the tin overnight. Next morning, remove the tin and leave at room temperature for 2 hours before baking. After baking, leave in the tin for at least 5 minutes so all the syrup doesn’t run off when you turn the buns out.

It is a family favorite for Christmas Day and special occasions! They taste better than any bakery bought sticky buns. I use King Arthur Flour that our Target sells for cheaper than our grocery stores.

I made more Simple Crusty Bread using the stone yesterday (dough refrigerated overnight) and it worked as well as in the loaf pan. Shape was a little more “rustic” but still delicious. I’m going to try the gluten free version for my DIL.

^^ Where’s the butter!!! :slight_smile:

I made the Simple Crusty Bread last night - we loved it! My husband toasted a slice for breakfast this morning. I still have 3/4’s of the dough in my fridge. To make another loaf tonight, do I simply cut a chunk off, let it rest for 40 minutes, and bake?

Yup…that’s what I did yesterday (let it rise for about an hour out of the refrigerator, though). It didn’t look like it expanded as much as the day before when it went into the oven, but it “inflated!” while cooking. Just as good, if not better, on day 2!

Can’t believe I missed this thread. My late MIL was terrific with home made bread, and she taught DH and all my inlaws. DH taught our pups when they were small, because baking is fun, educational, and teaches patience and science.

One of their favorites is a cheese bread recipe using a basic yeast/white flour recipe, but adding in an envelope of the cheese mix from a box of macNcheese, and a 6oz stick of sharp or extra sharp Vermont Cheddar cut into 1/8 inch cubes. The macaroni will ends up in a soup later, because a hearty bowl of tomato mac soup is terrific when accompanied by cheese bread.

DH made 4 loaves of Gramma’s cheese bread when the gang was home after the holidays, and as I recall we still have a loaf in the freezer. When the power goes out, we can toast it on the gas grill, and use the side burner to heat up soup, and enjoy by candlelight.

As for the best way to slice it for sandwiches (as it is particularly fantastic when toasted for a BLT), I eyeball it, but we have an older wire cooling rack that is much stronger than today’s, and I recall watching DH teach the pups how to use it as a guide to make uniform slices.

Any good recipes for bagels??