Day 16: Yiayia Bread

Day 16: Yiayia Bread

Nothing compares to a house filled with the warm aroma of freshly baked bread. My yiayia is a master bread baker and always seems to have a fresh loaf whenever we are over her house. Today, we made 8 loaves of bread while I was over and didn’t she didn’t even blink an eye.

Even with her bread recipe, she eyeballs the measurements and goes off of how the dough feels in order to know what it needs. So, for this recipe as well, the measurements are not exact but more like guidelines for me for when I make my own batch back when I get home. It also doesn’t help that I’m only making 2 loaves compared to her 8 but I’ll find a way to make it work.

*Ingredients

½ bag all purpose flour

½ bag bread flour

¼ tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 cup warm water (used to dilute yeast)

About ¼ cup canola oil

About ½ cup warm water

Sprinkle of quick oats

Sprinkle of coriander seeds

I packet instant yeast

*Directions

Sift all of your flour together. In a glass or measuring cup filled with your warm water, dilute salt, sugar, and yeast. Once everything is combined and melted into the water make a well in your sifted flour and pour the yeast mixture in. Cover the yeast mixture with the flour surrounding it so it is covered. At this point sprinkle the coriander and the oats on top of the flour. Allow the yeast to activate in your flour for about 10 minutes. At this point, your yeast should “come alive” and bubble through your flour.

Once the yeast has bubbled and is making moves, incorporate the yeast into the rest of your flour mixture. At this point add your water and feel your dough. It should be slightly sticky but not smooth. Add your oil and knead your dough. Once oil and water is incorporated check your dough again. Is it coming together? Is there flour that won’t incorporate into the dough? Is there flour stuck on the sides of your bowl? If your dough is not coming together and if it is falling apart, add more water and drizzle some oil on your hands so it is easier to work your dough without getting too sticky.

Continue to knead your dough and try to get it to combine and continue to add a little bit of water and a little bit of oil until your dough holds shape. Once the flour is fully incorporated and your dough is able to stick together, continue kneading your dough for 15-30 minutes.

Once you have kneaded your dough, place a towel over the bowl and let rise for 30 minutes to an hour. Your dough should at least double in size.

Once your dough has risen, cut off a piece and shape into a loaf. You are able to use a bread mold if need be, or you can pull a yiayia and just use a lined and greased baking sheet. If you use a baking sheet line it with parchment paper and grease it with the canola oil. A depending on your baking sheet, you can fit about 3-4 loaves. You want to separate the loaves and put some parchment paper in between them so when they bake and rise in the oven, they don’t stick together. If you use a bread pan, grease the pan for easy removal and add dough right in.

Once your loaves of bread are in their baking dish, let rise for another 30 minutes to an hour. Again, your dough should be about double after it is done rising.

Add your loaves of bread into a preheated 350 degree oven and let bake for about an hour. You want the loaves to get a golden color on top of them and form a nice crust.

Unfortunately, today when I was baking bread with my one yiayia, my other yiayia needed to be taken to the hospital so I was unable to take pictures of the complete process but I have added as many pictures as I could. I will be making more bread once I run out of the stash my yiayia made me and will be posting the updated recipe when that time comes.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does!

**Note: Yiayia likes to keep some extra sifted all purpose flour in a Tupperware on the side, so if you need to add some to your work area or to the dough, you have it right there!