Homemade Bread

Italian Gondola Bread, Cornbread and Sweet Breads From Your Kitchen

Oct 30, 2007 Kelly Donlea

Homemade bread is easier to make than you might think, and definitely worth the effort.

Mmmm… there is nothing better than bread fresh out of the oven. And what better way to achieve this than in your own kitchen. Cooking bread at home can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. The kneading, the rising, the smells, and of course, the fresh-out-of the oven taste.

Most people don’t attempt making bread at home because they assume it’s hard. In fact the booming bread-machine industry will have you convinced this is true. Making homemade bread may, in fact, be time-consuming, depending on the recipe, but it isn’t hard. And, it’s certainly worth the effort. Try it today. Your nose, your taste buds, and anyone lucky enough to sample some will thank you.

Homemade Italian Gondola Bread

This delightful bread looks and acts like Italian bread, but has a much sweeter taste. It is delicious when used for sandwiches (hence the name), or served on its own or as a side to soups and pastas. While it has a few fussy steps, it really is quite simple to make.

Ingredients

  • 1 -1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 4 oz. package dry yeast
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in water. Separately, mix together oil, eggs, salt and sugar.

Add flour 1 c at a time until mixed. Knead until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 ½ hours. Punch down, flip dough over, and repeat. Cut dough into 4 pieces for sandwiches, or 2 pieces for dinner-sized loaves. Shape into oblong loaves, and place on greased and floured cookie sheets. Cover loaves, and let rise again for approximately one hour. Slash loaves 3 x with knife. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes.

Perfectly-Moist Corn Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients; mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F (210 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Fruit Bread

Banana Bread, yum. Apple bread, interesting. Pumpkin bread… just right for the season. Try this flexible fruit bread recipe with one of your favorite fruits, and you, your friends and family will get to enjoy the “fruits” of your labor.

If using apples, peaches or pears, peel and dice fruit, mix with a little honey (about 2 tablespooons) and let sit for 20 minutes. If using bananas, mash. For pumpkin, use canned mashed pumpkin.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
  • ¾ cup mashed or diced fruit, or preserves (see notes above)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Add fruit mixture and stir to blend. Sift dry ingredients together and add to batter a little at a time, stirring just until mixed.

Pour batter into a greased and floured bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

The copyright of the article Homemade Bread in Recipes is owned by Kelly Donlea. Permission to republish Homemade Bread in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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