MAKE IT OR BAKE IT

Bake your own bread 
The joy of making your own bread is just overwhelming. The thick outer crust and soft pillow-like inside of freshly baked bread is like a blessing from the heaven. Just think of the aroma all around your kitchen and dining room while you are getting charged with your first cup of coffee. You do not need much to make a good meal: no oozing mayonnaise, no sugar-filled sauces, no fat or calorie loaded condiments; just a little cream cheese or home-made mustard paste, a drizzle of olive oil, or a thin spread of butter will make your bread taste amazing.     

Flax seed-yoghurt bread
Ingredients: 
2 cups white flour 
1 cups yoghurt (sour curd) 
1 tsp sea salt 
½ cup flax seed 
1 tbsp instant yeast 
Water (if needed)

Method:
Mix the flour, salt, flax seed and dried, instant yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add yoghurt, mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then transfer onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a bowl; same bowl can be used. Cover and leave to rise for one hour until doubled in size. 

Line a baking tray with baking parchment or sprinkle the tray with some flour. Knock back the dough; then gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it on the bed of sprinkled flour or baking parchment for a further hour until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Sprinkle some more seeds and cut a cross or any geometrical form you like, with a sharp knife. You can also snip the top of the bread with scissors. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the bun sounds hollow when tapped underneath. You can also insert a knife into the loaf and check whether it comes out clean or not. When you are done baking cool on a wire rack. 

Pizza-dough bread 
Ingredients: 
2 cups white flour 
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp oregano 
1 cup powdered milk 
6 tbsp Parmesan cheese 
1 tbsp instant yeast 
2 tbsp olive oil 
Water, as need 

Method:
Mix the flour, salt, oregano, powdered milk, half of the parmesan cheese and dried instant yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add water and olive oil, mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add additional 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then transfer onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a bowl; same bowl can be used. Cover and leave to rise for one hour until doubled in size. 

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough, gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it on baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cut a cross with a sharp knife.  Sprinkle rest of the parmesan cheese. You can add cheddar on the top if you want the bread to be cheesy. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden and the bun sounds hollow when tapped underneath. You can also insert a knife into the bun and check whether it comes out clean or not. When you are done baking, cool on a wire rack. 

Brown bread 
Ingredients: 
2 cups brown atta 
½ cup powdered milk 
1 tsp sea salt 
1 tbsp brown sugar 
1 tbsp instant yeast 
Water, as needed 
1 tbsp olive oil 

Method:
Mix the atta, crushed sea salt, brown sugar, powdered milk and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the oil and water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. Once the dough is smooth, place it in a bowl; same bowl can be used. Cover and leave to rise for one hour until doubled in size.

Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough, then gently mould the dough into a ball. You can also make a loaf instead of a bun. Roll it flat with a rolling pin, twist it flat dough and tuck in the edges like a burrito. 

Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dust the loaf with some more atta and cut a cross or three/four diagonal lines onto the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

Tips:
The dough's first rising can be done in the fridge overnight. This slows down the time to rise to double in size, but gives you a deeper flavour. More importantly, more than an hour will be saved each time you make bread.

Photo: Sharmin Rahman