Quest for the PERFECT BREAD DOUGH

I’ve spent years developing what I consider to be the ideal bread dough: one I could customize according to my mood, and then use to make just about anything I had in mind. My goal was to make one big batch of dough, then use it throughout the week to make anything from pizza to buns to sandwich bread.

If I’m in the mood for a heartier bread, I sub some of the bread flour with whole-wheat flour or other grain flours, and also add some chia or flax seeds. Or I can give it a hint of sweetness with sugar or honey. Or I could make it more or less sour depending on how much of my bread starter I use. To make simple baguettes, I omit the sugar and olive options. For cinnamon-raisin bread, roll the dough up with cinnamon and raisins. Turn it into amazing caraway-rye by subbing in 1 cup rye flour, going heavy on the bread starter, and tossing in some caraway seeds. The possibilities are literally endless.

Basic Everything Bread Dough

Annie

Use this dough to make just about any kind of bread product. Customize the dough by using different types of flours. Choose to add sugar or honey for a hint of sweetness, or nix it altogether. Opt to add butter, olive oil, or no fat at all. It all depends on your tastes and what you want to make. For focaccia or ciabatta, add a little less flour to keep the dough loose. When you’re making pita or pizza dough (see Notes), use the olive oil option. For a rich bun dough, use butter. It also makes great pita bread, burger buns, hoagie rolls, or dinner rolls.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups warmish water, plus more as needed
• 1 Tbsp. instant dry yeast
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. raw cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey or other desired sweetener (optional)
• ¼ to ½ cup bread starter (see *note, optional)
• 5 to 5½ cups bread flour (700g to 750g or about 1½ lb.),plus more as needed
• Old dough chunk (see **note, optional)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, softened butter, or other fat
• 2 to 3 tsp. fine sea salt

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with the dough hook) or a large bowl whisk together the water, yeast, and sugar or honey (if using). Add the starter (if using) and ¼ cup of the flour and whisk to combine. Let stand 15 minutes or until foaming. Add about 4½ cups of the flour. Mix until the dough is shaggy, adding more flour or water as needed. Let dough rest 10 minutes.
• Add the old dough chunk (if using), the olive oil or butter (if using), and the salt. Slowly mix until dough comes together. Knead for several minutes or until almost smooth. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Pull the dough toward the center into a tight ball and flip over. Let rise 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size (or so). Pull the dough toward the center and flip again. Let rise 1 hour more or chill until needed or up to 4 days.
• Shape dough as desired and bake as desired (the internal temperature of a bread loaf should be at least 205°F).

Notes

*BREAD STARTER: Learn how to make your own bread starter here

**PRO-TIP: For the best texture and flavor, grab a few Tbsp. of your dough and stash it in the fridge to use in your next batch every time you make bread dough (of any kind).

GET CREATIVE WITH IT:

MAKE IT WHEATIER: Substitute up to 2 cups of the flour with whole-wheat flour.

MAKE IT MULTIGRAIN: Substitute up to 1 cup of the flour with rye flour, semolina flour, rice flour, cornmeal, oat flour, spelt flour, flax meal, or any other grain flour.

ADD SOME SEEDS: Sprinkle in a couple Tbsp. flax seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, chia seeds, or poppy seeds.

MAKE THE CRISPEST PIZZA DOUGH: Substitute ¼ cup of the flour for cornmeal. Use the 2 Tbsp. olive oil in the dough.

Keyword baguettes, Bread, Buns, Foccacia, Pita, Pizza, Rolls