Hot Breads For Cool Weather

There are many good things about fall.One of them is that the cool weather gets everyone in the mood for baking.One of the best products is a simple loaf of bread.Unlike cakes and cookies, it's versatile.A loaf can be used for everything from sandwiches to French toast.Also nothing beats an evening snack of fresh baked bread with butter and honey on it.Another plus of baking bread.The aroma.It's welcoming and warm chasing away the chill of a fall day. Many home chefs shy away from bread baking.They feel that it can be too labor intensive or express worries about working with yeast.Have no qualms.Bread dough is relative easy to create. The mixing is more or less the same as mixing up cake batter.Ingredients are simple as well.They are just yeast, flour and salt blended with milk, melted butter and salt.The only tricky ingredient is yeast because this is what makes the bread rise.If you leave the well kneaded dough covered with a towel in a warm place ( usually your stove top)and let it set for an hour you should have the beginnings of a very tasty and airy loaf.keep in mind however that different flours work differently when it's being mixed and kneaded.Rye and whole wheat flours will behave differently than white.The first can be very sticky when you begin to roll it out while the second, whole wheat usually requires half a cup less than your regular one.Once you start ,then 's there is no stopping.Bread recipes are versatile.You can try a whole wheat one week while the next you can experiment with raisin bread.If you feel really confident then you can make the Classic baguette.This requires two packets of yeast plus honey but no dairy at all in it,This is what gives regular bread it's cake like texture, while the lack of it gives the loaf it's traditional crustiness and chewiness. I can't say iterate this enough.There's so much you can do with bread recipes. One of the heartiest and perfect for tailgating picnics is sausage bread.This is a relatively easy recipe to replicate.Use an Italian bread recipe and already browned beef or pork sausage.Serve with a bowl of homemade tomato sauce for a fun appetizer or snack. Tomatoes can also be added to the dough , namely in juice form.Oregano and rosemary are also added for some zing.People who have made this type, add cheese to the finished loaf, to create a kind of pizza.One of fall's favorite loaves is cinnamon bread.Everyone loves this type, especially when it's gently toasted and slathered with butter.It's basically rolled put like a jelly roll, then generously dusted with the cinnamon and sugar mix(you can also add chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts to the mix or vary the spices with the addition of nutmeg).The finished loaf is then put into a generously buttered pan.As you become more proficient ,you may want to experiment with sourdough.This does require a starter .most bakers are given it from other bakers, however if you're not that lucky, don't worry.You can make your own.It's just a simple mix of flour and water ,left to stand for a few days.It creates what is known as wild yeast, which gives sourdough it's snappy flavor. Fall is the perfect time to bake a variety of yummy breads.There's nothing like warming up with a hot cup of tea and a large slice of bread slathered with butter, jam or honey. Fire up the ovens and get kneading!