Homemade Bread in a Bag
Ingredients
-
All-purpose flour: 3 cups (divided)
-
Sugar: 3 teaspoons
-
Rapid-rise yeast: 1 packet
-
Warm water: 1 cup (essential for activating yeast)
-
Olive oil: 3 tablespoons
-
Salt: $1\frac{1}{4}$ teaspoons
Detailed Instructions
-
Combine Initial Ingredients:
Open a large (gallon-sized) heavy-duty freezer bag. Pour in 1 cup of flour, the sugar, the packet of yeast, and 1 cup of warm water. Seal the bag tightly, pushing out the excess air.
-
The “Shake” Phase:
Squeeze and shake the bag with your hands until the ingredients are well blended. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes; you should see bubbles forming as the yeast activates.
-
Add Remaining Ingredients:
Open the bag and add the olive oil, salt, and the remaining 2 cups of flour. Reseal the bag and continue to knead and squish it from the outside until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the bag.
-
Knead the Dough:
Lightly flour a clean surface. Remove the dough from the bag and knead it by hand for about 5–8 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
-
First Rise:
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30–45 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
-
Shape and Second Rise:
Gently punch the dough down to release air. Divide it into smaller portions if using mini loaf pans (as seen in the image) or keep it as one large loaf. Place the dough into greased baking pans. Cover again and let rise for another 20 minutes.
-
Bake:
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
-
Cool:
Remove from the pans and let the bread cool on a wire rack before slicing to ensure the center stays fluffy.