FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • PRs Work With Us
  • MEDIA
  • DIRECTORS CUT
  • Contact Us
Joleisa logo
  • Frugal living
  • Eat for less
  • Start a blog
  • Recommendations

The simple pleasures of making your own bread from scratch

This post may contain affiliate links

I love making my own bread. I see it as one of the simple pleasures of life and I enjoy it even more when I teach someone how to do it and they realise that it isn’t difficult at all! Apart from being easy to make, bread is also a very cheap product to make. It’s such a pleasure too, knowing that you know exactly what goes into your bread: no additives or preservatives.

 

Also, your bread dough can be used to make a loaf of bread, or cut and shaped into bread rolls. You may choose to add some fun shapes by twisting or plaiting the dough.

My little baked loaf of healthy wholemeal bread.


When I was about 14 years old, I had to pass by a bakery on my way to and from school. In the early mornings, we could smell the fresh bread being made but of course, the bakery wasn’t open to the public so all we could do was to savour the aroma of that freshly baked batch of bread!

On the way back from school in the afternoon, however, the bakery would be open and you could buy a fresh loaf of bread that was still warm and absolutely delightful to tear and share with a friend or two on the way home. By the time we got home, our stomachs would still be full from eating the bread that we wouldn’t even want dinner!

Today I still have the pleasure of that smell, only this time, I am used to making my own fresh bread using a few very basic ingredients that are not expensive at all. Follow these steps and you can make your own loaf, or a few soft, brown bread rolls. Next time I will show you how to make pizza and even focaccia.

Start off making your own bread by gathering all of what you will need. These include a weighing scale, mixing bowl, measuring spoons and measuring jug.

The ingredients I usually use and which give me the best results for making bread are listed below

250 g strong bread flour (even plain flour will work) I use wholemeal bread flour sometimes

1 Tbsp olive oil or butter (it just makes the bread stay fresh longer)

3 tsp yeast (fast action)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

150 ml of warm water

Now it is best if your hands, the equipment, ingredients and even the room are warm. This is because the yeast works best and fastest if the conditions are nice and warm.

The ingredients for making the bread

To start off, make sure that everything is weighed and measured accurately. Place all the ingredients except the water in the bowl and mix using a knife. Then make a well in the centre of the mixture and add most of the warm water (keep a tiny bit back just in case you do not need all of it)

Note that if you are using wholemeal flour, you will need more water as the flour is quite coarse.

Once the liquid is in, mix together to form a soft but not sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, put some jazzy music on, and knead the dough using the palm of your hands for at least 10 minutes. The dough should be nice and elastic as well as it should feel quite warm. If it begins to feel cold, it means that you are not working the dough enough! So get a move on with the kneading!

Kneading the bread dough

After the first period of kneading, shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl to prove (rise). You may brush a little oil on the surface of the dough to prevent it cracking. Leave it covered with cling film or a clean tea towel for at least an hour, or until the dough doubles in size, whichever one comes first.

My little bread dough ball

This stage used to amaze me! My little dough ball is much bigger than when I left it and it is amazing to think that my efforts put into kneading the dough and not babying it, are actually working.

Cover the bread dough and leave

Place the dough ball back on the work surface, get your music back on, and knock the air out of it! Sounds wicked, doesn’t it? But that’s just what it needs.

At this stage, you may leave it to prove again or you may cut and shape into bread rolls or place the dough into a loaf tin to prove. Proving is best done somewhere warm.bread dough ball

Once the loaf or rolls have doubled in size again, place into a hot oven 200 degrees Celsius or Gas Mark 6 and make until the tops are a light golden colour. Wash up and read a post while you wait.

You will know if it is ready by knocking the underside of one of the rolls or the loaf with your knuckles. It should sound hollow inside if it is done.

My little baked loaf of healthy wholemeal bread.

When will you give this a go? You really should, and very soon. Your neighbour will wonder where that smell is wafting from. They’ll also want you to show them how to make bread too! If you’re not careful, you’ll eat a whole loaf while it’s still warm, like I used to do back in the day.

Let us know if you plan to try this. And if you do have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Look out for our pizza and focaccia recipe.

 

 

Other bread type recipes

Make your own Jamaican meatloaf and coco bread

 

Here is a short video to show you how to make it.

Related products from Amazon

 

This post was proofread by Grammarly

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Print
  • Email
  • Skype

Related

Filed Under: Frugal

About Joleisa

« One Year, no clothes, Exhilerating
Good Inexpensive Books for your Reading List »

Comments

  1. C Gibson says

    August 2, 2017 at 11:09 am

    Great recipe, nothing like the smell of fresh bread. I always loved the taste of my grandmas corn bread, the smell was incredible in her kitchen.

    Reply
    • itilam says

      August 6, 2017 at 4:35 am

      WOW ITs Amazing

      Reply
  2. Sylvester Vanessa says

    August 2, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    Making your own food is relaxing in general. You decide what goes into your bread. Great post!

    Reply
    • Joleisa says

      August 2, 2017 at 9:09 pm

      Thanks so much, you know what I’m talking about!

      Reply
  3. Hannah says

    August 3, 2017 at 8:59 am

    I love bread making! Has got to be one of my favourite things to do to unwind πŸ™‚ Will try this recipe for sure! Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Jena Leigh says

    August 5, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    I’ve always wanted to try making my own bread. I always make sandwiches for my family. I would love to try your recipe soon. Thanks for the recipe?

    Reply
  5. Curtis says

    August 5, 2017 at 3:29 pm

    We started making our own bread a few years ago and we will never go back! Freshly baked bread tastes so much better than store bought bread, and, yes, the smells are incredible! Best decision ever!

    Reply
  6. Sonyo Estavillo says

    August 6, 2017 at 6:17 am

    Wow, I used to think that you need a bread maker to make really good bread. Can you swap out regular flour for something like coconut flour that is gluten free? Have you ever tried such recipes? And is gluten free options like coconut flour act the same and offer similar consistency or results? Just curious because I’ve been cooking an awful lot lately and would love to try a gluten-free bread option. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  7. Lana says

    November 18, 2017 at 1:28 pm

    I adore the smell of fresh bread! I haven’t made bread for a while, however your post has inspired me to start again! Nothing beats the taste of fresh bread!

    Reply
  8. Hamza says

    November 3, 2019 at 8:45 am

    hey admin thanks for post.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hey guys and gals!

Hi, we're Jo and Leisa, twin sisters and authors of Joleisa.com. Originally from the sandy beaches of Jamaica we now reside in England where we followed our calling to teach. But sometimes that call changes and our new passion is writing. We're here to give the ups and downs of it all with our lifestyle tips and tricks to help you avoid the sour lemons that can get in our way of frugal budgeting, intentional living and happiness. Join us and learn more about how we found the simplest ways to achieve easy living. Read More…

AS SEEN ON CHANNEL 5’S

We are Sociable

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • JACKASS CORN! SAY WHAT?!!
  • Joleisa AGM
  • Our Word of the Week is Break
  • Autumn Week Meal Plan
  • Autumn Covid Booster Update

MOST POPULAR POSTS

Why we left teaching

  • Be your own boss
  • Set up a blog
  • Making money from your blog
  • Using Pinterest to help your blog
  • Fixing sleep problems
  • Frugal family fun at half term
  • Having to plan a funeral!
  • Let’s show you how we save money on food
  • Our time on Channel 5’s Shop Smart, Save Money
HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs HIBS100

Copyright © 2023 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 ·Tasteful Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

YOUR PRIVACY

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...