Bread In A Bag 2 Recipe

I’m so pumped to share this epic bread journey with you, cause honestly nothing beats the simple pleasure of mixing warm water, milk, yeast, and all those basic ingredients together to create a fresh, golden loaf that feels like a hug from your favorite old sweater.

I love making Bread In A Bag 2 cause its quick and packed with good nutritional balance. I use warm water and milk with a bit of sugar and yeast mixed into my bread flour, salt and vegetable oil.

I think this combo makes a tasty, hearty loaf you can trust.

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 3 cups bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

How to Make this

1. In a large bowl, mix the 1 cup warm water, 1/2 cup warm milk, and 2 tablespoons sugar with the packet of active dry yeast and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it starts foaming.

2. In another bowl, stir together 3 cups bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt.

3. Slowly add the flour mix into the liquid, stirring as you go until a shaggy dough begins to form.

4. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and mix well.

5. Sprinkle a little extra flour on your counter, then dump the dough out and knead it for about 8 to 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.

6. Lightly oil a clean bowl or plastic bag, put the dough inside turning it around so it gets coated, and cover it loosely. Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until it doubles in size.

7. Once risen, punch down the dough gently to remove extra air.

8. Shape the dough into a loaf while still inside the bag or on your conveniently floured counter, whichever you prefer.

9. Preheat your oven to 375°F then place the shaped dough on a greased baking pan.

10. Bake it in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Enjoy your bread!

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for combining the water, milk, sugar, and yeast
2. Second bowl for stirring the bread flour and salt
3. Measuring cups and spoons to measure the water, milk, sugar, and other ingredients
4. A sturdy stirring spoon or whisk
5. A clean, floured counter or board for kneading the dough
6. Your hands (optionally with a bench scraper if you have one) to work the dough
7. A clean bowl or even a plastic bag that you can lightly oil for the dough to rise in
8. A greased baking pan
9. An oven for baking the bread

FAQ

• Q: How do I know if my yeast is active?
  A: Make sure your water is around 110°F and mix it with the sugar. If the yeast starts foaming within 5-10 minutes then its working fine. If not, it’s best to start over.
• Q: Can I use all-purpose flour if I dont have bread flour?
  A: While you can use all-purpose, bread flour is prefered because it gives the bread a better structure and more chew. The texture might differ a little if you substitute.
• Q: Why does the recipe call for both warm water and warm milk?
  A: The water wakes up the yeast while the milk adds extra flavor and makes the bread softer. Both work together for a lighter dough.
• Q: How long should I let the dough rise?
  A: Let the dough rest in a warm spot for around 1 to 1.5 hours until it doubles in size. Overproofing can change the texture, so keep an eye on it.
• Q: Can I prep the dough ahead of time?
  A: Yeah, after the first rise you can refrigerate the dough for later use. Just let it come back to room temp before shaping and baking.

Bread In A Bag 2 Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you don’t have warm milk you can use almond milk or soy milk, just heat it to about the same temperature
• If you run out of granulated sugar, try using honey. Note that honey is sweeter so use a little less
• If there’s no active dry yeast available, you can use instant yeast instead but use about 2 teaspoons and mix it right in
• When bread flour isn’t on hand, you can substitute all-purpose flour, though the texture might be a bit softer
• You can replace vegetable oil with canola oil or even melted butter if you want a richer flavor

Pro Tips

1. Make sure the water and milk ain’t too hot because yeast dies quick if it’s above 110°F so check it with a thermometer if you can, or use your feelin’ and err on the side of caution.
2. When you’re mixing your dry ingredients with your wet ones, go slowly and be gentle with the dough. Even if it gets kinda messy at first, letting it sit a few minutes before you knead can work wonders.
3. Dust your counter with a bit of extra flour when you knead and shape the dough so it won’t stick, and try not to overdo it cause too much flour can make your bread too dense.
4. For a really good rise, let the dough chill in a warm place. Some people like putting it in the oven with just the light on, or even near a radiator, but if it doesn’t exactly double, it’s still gonna turn out pretty awesome.