A few questions about homemade bread.

Question

We have a lot of friends and family to buy for for Christmas. I was thinking to save money, this year I could make homemade bread and homemade preserves to give as gifts. However, i've never made it and I don't know where to start. Does anyone have any good recipes? Can I make the bread ahead of time and freeze it? If so, how long can i freeze it for? What about the preserves? How long do they last? I thought i should include a little note in the gifts saying how long the bread should last and how to reheat it, etc. Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

Fruited Teabread

Serve this buttered for afternoon tea together with cups of your favourite tea.

Ingredients

450 Gram Strong plain flour (1 lb)

1 Teaspoon Salt

25 Gram Butter (1 oz)

1 Sache Fast action dried yeast

1 Teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

25 Gram Caster sugar (1 oz)

75 Gram No-soak dried apricots, chopped (3 oz)

75 Gram No-soak dried figs, chopped (3 oz)

50 Gram Pecans, chopped (2 oz)

300 ml Milk, lukewarm ( 1/2 pint)

Clear honey to glaze

Method

Makes 2 loaves

Sift flour and salt into a bowl, rub in butter. Stir in yeast, spices, sugar, fruit and nuts.

Add the milk and mix to a dough.

Turn out onto a floured work surface. Knead lightly for 5-10 minutes. Cut into 2 equal-sized pieces.

Shape to fit two 450g (1 lb) loaf tins. Place in greased loaf tins. Cover with oiled polythene and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Bake at 220 °C / 425 °F / Gas 7 for 30-40 minutes. Brush with honey to glaze.

http://www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk/rec...

Freezing Bread.

http://www.articleblast.com/Food_and_Dri...

Answer 2

see if you can find a bread machine at a garage or yard sale for not too much. It saves a lot of aggravation in learning to make bread.

http://www.recipezaar.com has a lot of really good bread recipes with really good instructions on how to make them. You can find preserve recipes here too.

http://www.bettycrocker.com has lots of really good bread recipes also.

I freeze lots of bread products when I get in the mood to bake. I give them "frozen" with a note on thawing and heating. Sometimes I just let them defrost also before giving them to people.

Answer 3

Classic Bread Recipes

Ingredients:

1 cup water (lukewarm 110 - 115F)

1 cup buttermilk (room temp.)

1/4 cup oil

5-6 cups bread flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs (beaten)

1 tablespoon salt

4 teaspoons instant yeast

Egg Wash:

1 egg white

3 tablespoons milk

Method:

Mix together water, buttermilk and oil. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix with a wooden spoon till smooth. Add sugar and eggs stir together till smooth. Mix in the salt. Then stir in yeast. Allow to sit uncovered for 15 minutes. Then add flour a 1/2 cup at a time. Stir till it becomes to hard to mix. Place some flour onto the counter and continue to slowly add remaining flour till the dough is just a little bit sticky (note you may not need all the flour). Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes till smooth and elastic (stand mixer 5-6 minutes with a dough hook). Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Spray the top of the dough with an oil spray. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for about 1 hour. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut dough in half and degas the dough. Shape dough into 2 rectangles the length of a 5x9 loaf pan. Roll the dough like a jelly roll being sure to lightly press with each rotation of the dough. Pinch the seam closed with your fingers. Place into two greased 5x9 loaf pans. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise till double in bulk about 45-60 minutes. After the dough has proofed, make egg wash and brush the tops of the loaves. Wait 5 minutes then brush again. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. If you place a thermometer into the center of the loaf it should register between 180 degrees or when you tap the bottom of the loaf it sounds hollow. Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.

Answer 4

I think it is a lovely idea.  I am not familiar with making yeast breads, I stick to fruit breads.  I have a fantastic recipe for zucchini bread - everyone loves it and I make it for all my holiday dinners.  I freeze mine for up to 3 months.  It is fantastic with butter or all by itself.  The recipe has a chocolate version as well.  If interested go to:

http://www.cooking-is-easy-and-fun.com/S...

Answer 5

preserves (jam/jelly) are generally good for one year if you process them.  I actually keep mine longer and they are fine.  I do the same thing for christmas every year and also include cookies and candies, spiced nuts and homemade soap/candles.  I keep all my baked goods in the freezer and never have any problems.

You can choose any kind of bread you want really, pick your favorite.  I do banana nut and cinnamon and just use small, disposable tinfoil pans.  Several of them fit in 1gal plastic bag and they freeze just fine.

I wouldn't be too worried about including a note about how long they keep.  In my experience most people are so thrilled to get something homemade that they eat it WAY before it goes bad on them.

Answer 6

check muffin recipes. make muffin loaves.

remember that sometimes doubling makes your results change.  try small batches bake and then freeze for a few weeks, thaw and taste. if this works, then you will know what you have to start doing after thanksgiving.

yeast can be tricky and difficult if you are not familiar with using it.

Answer 7

Find a recipe in almost any cook book and make it before you start making it for gifts. Make it until you are satisfied with it.  It will keep for several months if frozen, but I would wrap it in freezer paper.  If just in a plastic bag, it will get ice in next to the bread and be soggy when thawed.

If the preserves are not sealed, they will keep for a month or so in the refrigerator.  Why not make them all at one time and seal the jars by using a hot water bath.  Then they will last longer.