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baked loaf cut in half on a wooden board.
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5 from 1 vote

How to make Foolproof Bread for Beginners

Breadmaking does not need to be intimidating. Because of that, this recipe is perfect for bread-making beginners. All you need is a few handy kitchen tools!
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine: American, Breads, Russian
Allergy: Dairy Free, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 10
Calories: 213kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • tsp dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp oil light olive oil or canola oil
  • cups warm water
  • 1 tsp oil to brush the top before baking

Instructions

  • In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer combine the flour and other dry ingredients (salt, sugar, and dry yeast).
    3 cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1½ tsp dry yeast, 1 cup whole wheat flour
    flour and other bread ingredients in a silver bowl.
  • Once the dry ingredients are mixed, slowly add warm water and oil and continue mixing until you have nice and soft dough. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Mixing it for that long is a very important step, so make sure you let it mix for at least 10 minutes. The dough will stop sticking to the sides of the bowl as it mixes.
    1½ cups warm water, 2 Tbsp oil
    raw bread dough in a silver bowl.
  • Take the dough out, remove the hook, shape it into a ball, and leave on the counter top for 10 minutes. Just cover it with the mixing bowl.
    dough on a wooden board with flour.
  • In ten minutes, place the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1.5-2 hours, or until it doubles in size.
    dough in a silver bowl.
  • After it’s done rising, place the dough on a greased baking sheet or dish. The dough should be oval shaped with rounded edges. Let it stand for 45 more minutes (it’s very important to let it rise for that long because you want to achieve good results).
    dough on a baking tray.
  • Next step, take about 1 tsp of olive oil and coat the dough with it. This will make the bread crunchy on the outside.
    1 tsp oil
    dough with slices on top on a tray.
  • Take a sharp knife and make a few strips on the top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
    bread dough with slices and sesame seeds sprinkled on top on a baking tray.
  • Bake at 390 F for 30-35 minutes.
  • Take it out of the oven, transfer onto a wooden board, cover with a clean towel and let it cool down for 10 minutes before enjoying.
    a wooden board and a towel with a baked loaf of bread on it.

Notes

It’s easier to make this bread if you have an electric mixer with a hook attachment since it requires a lot of mixing.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 353mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 2mg