The Bread Making / Recipe Thread

[Back-Space]

I got some baking powder today Brown sugar and luckily I brought some chocolate chips from home because there's not a single bag that doesn't contain milk in our grocery store So I'm thinking some of the flour, some oatmeal, lots of sugar, some vegan butter, chocolate chips, and a little bit of salt and baking powder. Might try tomorrow depending what time I get home at. I'll just throw it all together and see what I end up with

[SlackAlice]

Oh I've never made chapattis before, should try those next time I'll make a curry. Thanks!

Hi khadagan

Much nicer home made !

My ex mother in law was Asian and taught me how to make them ...I kinda got it but never managed to re-create the perfectly circular ones she made. Mine bore more resemblance to a map of Africa but they tasted good.

Secret of good chappattis is the proper equipment ie. a flat griddle rather than trying to cook them in a frying pan with sides and a special Asian rolling pin which is fat in the middle and tapers at the sides to produce the right shape.

Slack

[khadagan]

Hi khadagan

Much nicer home made !

My ex mother in law was Asian and taught me how to make them ...I kinda got it but never managed to re-create the perfectly circular ones she made. Mine bore more resemblance to a map of Africa but they tasted good.

Secret of good chappattis is the proper equipment ie. a flat griddle rather than trying to cook them in a frying pan with sides and a special Asian rolling pin which is fat in the middle and tapers at the sides to produce the right shape.

Slack

Wow I never heard of rolling pins like that! I'm an absolute sucker for kitchen gadgets And I put a flat griddle pan on my wishlist as well, I just looked it up and it's good for tortilla's as well. I'm very much into making tortilla's at the moment.

Well I'll definately give the chapati's a go soon. I'm a bit sorry now I have so many (non-curry) leftovers from yesterday, so it won't be today unfortunately :s

[khadagan]

I'm into making my own pita's lately. It's even easier than making bread and quicker as well! Today I mixed olives and oregano into the white flour mixture today, really lovely! The great thing about pita's is that I don't have to measure any ingredients either and they're very nice!

I use just flour (about 3 cups makes a good amount), yeast, tbsp sugar, tsp salt, then mix the whole thing together with water until it's mixed. Mix for about 10 minutes. Cover with a tiny tiny bit of oil on the dough and wet cloth in warm place for about an hour.
Then divide in about 12 pieces or so depending on how much dough you have, roll them out, it's best to leave them for about 5-10 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, including the trays (otherwise they don't puff up)
Bake at the bottom of oven for 5 minutes first side, turn around for 2 minutes more.

And they're done! You can use wholemeal flour or a mixture of flours, add seeds, dried fruits, spices or whatever you want. I've been having them with humus, refried beans, salads, they're lovely!

[Risker]

How do you make them open up into pockets? I thought pita was unleavened bread so how come the yeast?

[BellaRuns]

How do you make them open up into pockets? I thought pita was unleavened bread so how come the yeast?

I'd like to know too, my home made pitta's turn out flat!! I buy so many of them, makes sense to make my own, any tips gratefully received!!

[khadagan]

I'd like to know too, my home made pitta's turn out flat!! I buy so many of them, makes sense to make my own, any tips gratefully received!!

Well mine puff up fine, but I did not know that the bread was supposed to be without yeast? I found this recipe somewhere on the internet and it was so easy that I thought I'd give it a try. My basic ingredients are flour, salt, yeast, sugar. I find they only puff up if I preheat the oventrays first. I also fold the dough once before I roll them out, don't know if this actually makes a difference or not. They puff open and you can cut them beautifully in the middle. Don't roll them out too thin, but just like you would find any pita in the store.

I'm actually just baking them right now, with half white, half wholewheat flour and hemp flour (grind up hemp seeds in my vitamix), they're not finished yet, but they smell awesome!

[amethyst]

I'm into making my own pita's lately. I use just flour (about 3 cups makes a good amount), yeast, tbsp sugar, tsp salt, then mix the whole thing together with water until it's mixed. Mix for about 10 minutes. Cover with a tiny tiny bit of oil on the dough and wet cloth in warm place for about an hour.
Then divide in about 12 pieces or so depending on how much dough you have, roll them out, it's best to leave them for about 5-10 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, including the trays (otherwise they don't puff up)
Bake at the bottom of oven for 5 minutes first side, turn around for 2 minutes more.

Wow! I was about to post my favorite and easiest whole wheat bread recipe, and see that your pita recipe is VERY similar. I want to try pitas now! Yippee!

My bread is so easy...and you don't even have to knead it. It is rustic and has a rich flavor, and I do a lot of variations with it:

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups warm water (about the same temp as warm from the tap, but I use filtered and heat it)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon raw sugar (I have subbed with brown rice syrup, molasses, and maple syrup)
1 packet quick-rise dry active yeast

Mix the dry ingredients, using a whisk to mix it thoroughly. Add the water, and stir just until everything is wet. The dough will be wetter than a kneading-style dough, but don't worry about it. It all works out in the end.

Place this wet dough in a mixing bowl that has been "buttered" with Earth Balance or your favorite oil. Let it rise double.

Pick it up, stretch it slightly into an oval. Fold the right end over into the middle. Fold the left end over into the middle. Place it with the folds underneath into the pan you are going to bake it in. The pan should also be buttered or oiled. Let it rise double once more.

Bake it at 375 degrees (F) for 35-40 minutes. When the crust is a deep brown, it is done. That's it!

It makes one loaf, and I do it almost daily. We use it for everything bread-like, and it is best when fresh, since there are no pesky preservatives in it to keep it longer.

You can also add some cinnamon into the initial mixing, and add a little extra raw sugar.

I like to add about a tablespoon of dried Italian herbs into the mixing stage---oregano, basil, thyme, parsley. That one is great with any type of pasta dish, or a nice hearty veggie soup.

I have used the same measurements to make pizza dough, except it needed an extra half cup of the flour to make it stiff enough. I only let it rise once for pizza dough. Adding those Italian herbs and some garlic is very tasty in the dough, too. The baking time is 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick you spread your dough.

One of my brilliant sons who is a college student has recently begun making this bread to eat on his starving student budget. He made it into the pizza dough style, and pressed it very thick into a rectangular baking pan. He baked it 10 minutes, took it out of the oven, and spread the top with vegan mozzarella. After finishing the baking time, he cut it into large strips and used them for dippers in leftover pasta sauce. I told you he was brilliant!

[LittleRedPiano]

OMG! Yum!

I'm making bread this weekend

I might mix through some olives too....

[twinkle]

Re. the pita bread question, I've only ever seen recipes that do include yeast. I understand to get them to make a pocket the oven has to be very hot, and you pre-heat the sheet, that way a 'skin' forms quickly on the outside and the inner air puffs up.

I suppose it would be worth trying it without leavening, after all you get the same effect with pooris, which are unyeasted (although that's deep fried).

[amethyst]

OMG! Yum!

I'm making bread this weekend

I might mix through some olives too....

Wow, that's a great idea. I might try it with some sliced green olives, and add some diced and sauteed sweet onions. Thanks for a new idea for this bread I seem to be using constantly! I don't even buy bread at the store anymore, because this one is so versatile (and whole grain).

I need to venture out and try different whole grains to see how well they work, too.

Forgot to mention that I have occasionally substituted a cup of the flour with a cup of whole oats. That worked great, and adds a little variety to the diet.

When I make this a savory bread with the add-ins, I usually use it for my entree and add a giant mixed salad.

[Risker]

Anyone have a good naan recipe? I made them before but they had a solid crust rather than being all soft throughout.

[Blueberries]

Anyone have a good naan recipe? I made them before but they had a solid crust rather than being all soft throughout.

There's a good recipe in Vegan Eats World that I could PM you if you want, or I've made the recipe from the Vegan Richa blog, don't know that exact URL but I'm sure you'll find it LMK if you want me to PM you the book recipe

[Risker]

Yes please!

[Blueberries]

Yes please!

Sent

[Blueberries]

I've gotten into making bread recently. I still buy a regular sliced pan but I tend to make more unusual breads myself for fun. I've made naan bread & bagels, and I like to make Irish brown bread (soda bread). Soda bread is great because you don't have to wait for it to rise, just mix it and bake it! Bagels are hard to get here, so it's great to know that I can make my own! I used the recipe from Vegan Brunch. Vegan naan bread is hard to get anywhere, even one of the brands I used to buy in Ireland started adding milk . But now I can make my own! There's a great recipe in Vegan Eats World.

[Barry]

Any chance you could PM me that naan recipe as well Blueberries? I think I'll make an Indian feast this weekend!

[Blueberries]

Any chance you could PM me that naan recipe as well Blueberries? I think I'll make an Indian feast this weekend!

Sent

[Barry]

Sent

Thank you

[deniselynn]

Would I be able to get a copy of that naan recipe too? I miss a good naan...

[Barry]

I'll save Blueberries the trouble and send it on you.

[deniselynn]

Thanks, got it!

[Blueberries]

Hope everybody likes the recipe As I said I'm on a bit of a bread-making streak recently, I'm sure I'll make something over the weekend

[deniselynn]

I just started some raisin bread, it's on the first rise now. Rainy day with big snow predicted (we shall see)...Perfect for baking!

[Risker]

I made some naan, I did it in my bread machine and guessed at the quantities a bit as I don't like measuring with cups. I put rosemary, garlic granules and ground coriander in it and used wholemeal flour rather than white. The end result doesn't look or taste anything like a naan bread but is really very tasty anyway

[Blueberries]

I made some naan, I did it in my bread machine and guessed at the quantities a bit as I don't like measuring with cups. I put rosemary, garlic granules and ground coriander in it and used wholemeal flour rather than white. The end result doesn't look or taste anything like a naan bread but is really very tasty anyway

Glad to hear that you liked it! A completely silly question- do breadmakers just mix and knead the bread or do they cook it too? o_O

[Risker]

They do cook it, but I set it just to just mix and knead the dough then took it out, rolled it out and cooked it in a frying pan.

Actually, they do look a bit like naans.

[Blueberries]

They do cook it, but I set it just to just mix and knead the dough then took it out, rolled it out and cooked it in a frying pan.

Actually, they do look a bit like naans.

They do look like naan! I never had naan pre-vegan so I'm not sure what non-vegan naan tastes like .

[Blueberries]

I just started some raisin bread, it's on the first rise now. Rainy day with big snow predicted (we shall see)...Perfect for baking!

How did your raisin bread go?

[Blueberries]

I'm on a bit of a bread-making streak recently, I'm sure I'll make something over the weekend

I made bagels Recipe from Vegan Brunch.

[deniselynn]

Ended up with three loaves of yummy raisin bread. One was gone pretty much the first day. Kids love raisin bread.

[Blueberries]

Ended up with three loaves of yummy raisin bread. One was gone pretty much the first day. Kids love raisin bread.

It does sound yummy! I really don't make enough sweetbreads, I only really make hallowe'en brack.

[Risker]

Ewww... sweetbreads.

[Blueberries]

Ewww... sweetbreads.

Maybe you're thinking of sweat-bread... that wouldn't be nice at all

[Risker]

Nope, definitely sweetbread.

[Blueberries]

Nope, definitely sweetbread.

Ah I see, I had forgotten that that was also called sweetbread! I definitely live in the vegan bubble!

[Blueberries]

Yesterday I made a basic white loaf and today I'm making a half brown/half white.

I got the basic bread recipe from the BBC Good food website.
· Mix 500g flour, a sachet of yeast (website said a 7g sachet but my yeast sachets were 4.6g so I used 1 and a bit), a teaspoon of salt and 350ml of lukewarm water.
· Knead for a few minutes.
· Let rise for an hour and then heat the oven to 220c.
· Bake the bread for 15 mins @this temp and then reduce to 200c for 30 mins.

[Mymblesdaughter]

I'm having trouble with my bread recently. I usually make wholemeal and it's quite dense but it seems to not be cooking on the bottom. When it is cooked the crust is really hard. Anyone got any idea why? I usually shape my bread into freestanding loaves and put on a baking tray.

[Blueberries]

I'm having trouble with my bread recently. I usually make wholemeal and it's quite dense but it seems to not be cooking on the bottom. When it is cooked the crust is really hard. Anyone got any idea why? I usually shape my bread into freestanding loaves and put on a baking tray.

I'm no baking expert but I think that being burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside could indicate that your oven is too hot. Maybe try starting at the high temperature and then lower it?

[Mymblesdaughter]

I'll have a go at that I'm baking them at gas mark 4 at the moment. So not that high but maybe I'll start them higher and then reduce to mark 3. They are only not cooking on the bottom, so about a cm on the bottom is still dough. I've tried turning them over for 10 mins at the end but it doesn't seem to do much.