Our Daily Bread

Robert makes bread almost every day. I’ve read about “No Knead Bread” on other blogs, but his bread does require kneading in a mixer. It only takes an hour or so to make. It is soooo delicious. He says it is easy. He is a good cook and I periodically persuade him to write down his recipes and then I put them on his Robert Cooks webpage. Click on the link for his other treats.

Here is his bread recipe:

Ingredients: 4 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon shortening (Crisco)

1 tablespoon sugar (food for yeast)

½ tablespoon salt for flavor

Scant tablespoon rapid rise yeast (use Bakipan® for good flavor and good price)

1 ¼ cups hot water (plus or minus depending on the weather)

Modification by Christine (4/17/2011) Use only one (1) cup of hot water, plus ¼ cup of milk. After you mix the dry ingredients with the Crisco, add ¼ cup of milk and stir. Then add the cup of hot water before kneading.

Mix dry ingredients with Crisco in a large bowl Add hot water and mix thoroughly Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic (He uses his Kitchen Aid mixer with its dough hook, but he used to use his hands and arms and back) Cover the bowl and let it relax for a short while Grease bread pan Shape a loaf, kneading and pulling the relaxed dough Put the loaf shape in the bread pan, cover and let it rise until double in bulk. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F Use a knife to split the top of the loaf into a nice design Butter lightly Put loaf pan in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F and bake for 35 minutes