Self-Reliance Series
Baking Bread
Pamela Patch Cantrell, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2024 by Pamela Patch Cantrell
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems,
without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a
book review.
The publisher grants the original purchaser a single license to print one photocopy of
the PDF file.
Visit the RoseRed Homestead Bookstore to view more titles:
https://payhip.com/roseredhomestead
2
Introduction
This booklet is a compilation of videos, books, and classes produced by RoseRed
Homestead and organized here to help you develop your bread making skills. At
RoseRed Homestead we focus on self-reliance, emergency preparedness, and food
security with the hope in mind that we can all be well prepared for the possibility of
uncertain times ahead. Bread making is a skill that will be much in demand if future
events compel us to rely on simple and nutritious foods we must prepare ourselves
without the convenience and availability of goods and services we now enjoy.
Starting now to improve our bread making skills is a wise and prudent decision. We
have produced many videos and other materials that can help you progress as fast and
far as you wish.
How to Use This Booklet
This booklet is like a journey. We provide links to our free videos and other
downloadable materials that start you off with the basics and then move toward
developing more proficiency. We provide some narrative with each link to help inform
you of the contents and then you decide whether to avail yourself of the information.
Some of the videos are our very early videos where the lighting and sound are not of
the quality we currently use. We are re-doing those older videos and will change the
links just as soon as they are available.
To easily access the links you may want to keep an electronic copy of the booklet file on
your device in addition to printing a hard copy. From within the electronic file you can
easily click the links rather than having to type them in one character at a time. There is
space in the booklet after each link for you to make notes on how you plan to implement
the information or on the results of your trying out the information. This booklet can
become a valuable journal of your efforts to improve your skills so you can refer to it
often and track your progress.
Also note that there are many ways to make a great loaf of bread. In our videos we
show a variety of methods for mixing, proofing, and shaping. This variety will allow you
to experiment to determine with what works best for you.
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Getting Started
Book Recommendation:
Baking Bread for Survival and Enjoyment. This book is in our bookstore. It is in
downloadable PDF format and you can print one copy for your use. Most people print
the file, then run the pages through a 3-hole punch and keep the book in a binder. The
book has step by step instructions and pictures for accomplishing many aspects of
bread baking. It is a great book to have on hand as a reference.
Here is the link: https://payhip.com/roseredhomestead
Here is some of the valuable information in the book:
• How to stock your kitchen and pantry with equipment and supplies needed for
baking bread
• Detailed steps for the best way to measure flour, mixing the dough, shaping and
poofing the loaves, and baking the bread
• Working with whole grains
• Recipes for
o Yeast breads
o Quick breads
o Batter breads
o Sourdough including how to make your own starter
o Flatbreads
o Bread machine recipes
o Gluten free breads
Video Recommendations:
We have placed these videos in the order we think will work well for step by step
learning of the bread making process.
First Lessons in Baking Bread: Part 1
https://youtu.be/Sav750UB3UM
There are many nuances associated with baking
bread and this video explains them. The video uses
the following recipe:
Basic White Bread Recipe
Makes 2 large loaves--use 5"x9" loaf pans
6 cups flour all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur unbleached)
2 tbsp Yeast
3 tbsp Sugar
1½ tsp salt
2½ cups warm water
3 tbsp oil
4
Mix 5 cups of flour, yeast and sugar in mixing bowl then sprinkle salt on top and gently
mix. Add water and oil. Stir with wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed, adding
additional flour if needed until soft dough consistency is achieved. Knead dough until
gluten is developed. Follow process shown in video. Place dough in oiled bowl and
allow to rise until nearly double. Remove dough from bowl and de-gas on counter.
Divide into 2 parts and shape into loaves and proof. Bake in 375°F preheated oven for
about 40 minutes.
Your Notes:
First Lessons in Bread Baking: Part 2 Half Wheat
Half White
https://youtu.be/GOmU8KTWbYA
This video uses the same recipe from the first
video with the variation that half the flour used is
wheat flour. This recipe is especially valuable if
you store wheat and mill your own flour. But it will
work well if you use purchased wheat flour. The
loaves have a good rise and taste great!
Your Notes:
5
First Lessons in Bread Baking: Part 3 Multigrain
https://youtu.be/UcS4vIY_EQc
This recipe uses cornmeal, rye flour, and whole
wheat flour along with other additions to make two
very nutritious and delicious loaves. The recipe is
included in the video description and below.
Pam's Multigrain Bread Recipe
Makes 2 5”x 9” loaves
In a medium bowl add 2½ cups boiling water to:
¾ cup cornmeal or your choice of other cereal-type combo
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup Crisco or Coconut Oil
Allow to cool to just under 100°F. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients together:
½ cup rye flour
1½ cups whole wheat flour
2-3 cups white flour (start with 2, then add additional cup as needed)
½ cup powdered milk
½ cup potato flakes
2 tbsp instant yeast
1½ teaspoons salt
When liquid has cooled, add to dry ingredients and mix, adding additional flour as
needed. Knead by hand allowing dough to rest twice for fifteen minutes as part of the
process as shown; or use a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough. Place in an oiled
bowl and allow to rise until nearly double. Punch down and shape into two loaves and
put in 5"x 9" pans. Cover with plastic or a tea towel and proof until double. Bake in hot
oven 375°F for 30-35 minutes until internal temperature is 190°-200°F. Cool on a wire
rack.
Your Notes:
6
Mixing vs. Kneading Bread in Stand Mixers
https://youtu.be/iY7Df19dvz8
An important skill is to know the difference between
mixing bread dough and kneading it in a stand mixer.
This video shows both actions in two different stand
mixers. The discussion provides a great deal of very
useful information, even if you don’t use a stand mixer
to mix and knead your bread dough.
Your Notes:
Bread for All Seasons
https://youtu.be/Rm9vChLWB9M
We visit my sister Cindy in northern Utah. She is an
expert bread maker and shares her way of making
bread. You will notice some differences in the way
each of us makes our bread. It is always a good idea
to check out how different people do things so you can
have options on how you choose to proceed.
Cindy’s Bread
Add to mixing bowl:
3 cups white bread flour
2 tbsp yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp salt
1½ cups dry powdered milk
1/3 cup brown sugar
Boil 2 cups water in saucepan on stove top. Add 1/3 c. butter and ½ c. oil. (Use ¾ c. oil
if no butter available). Add 1½ c. cold water. Add water mixture into flour mixture and
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beat in mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add 2 cups wheat flour. Beat 50 strokes.
Add 2 cups more wheat flour; add 1 - 2 cups more white bread flour and more if
needed. Knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise til double. (1 hour). Punch dough
down. Separate into 3 loaves. Shape loaves and place into large greased loaf pans.
Cover. Let rise until double. Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Turn out of pans
immediately.
Your Notes:
Specialty Breads
The videos and recipes in this section introduce you to different types of bread recipes
that you can add to your growing repertoire of bread making skills.
Video Recommendations:
https://youtu.be/Z0xDehZe87I
This is a recipe from King Arthur with a surprise
ingredient! You can see and print the recipe using this
link:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sandwich-rye-
bread-recipe
Your Notes:
8
https://youtu.be/UeW44OfkDW8
This is another recipe from King Arthur that quickly
became our go to recipe for hamburger buns. They are
fantastic. Here is the link for the recipe:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/beautiful-
burger-buns-recipe
Your Notes:
https://youtu.be/CD0VWcYK5qQ
These rolls are easy and delicious in addition to being so
nice to look at when they come fresh from the oven.
Here is the link for the recipe:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/hawaiian-buns-
recipe
Your Notes:
9
Refrigerator Rolls—5 Variations
https://youtu.be/F6qD3b67e9s
This is my recipe and has been a family favorite for
decades. The dough is very versatile, and the video
shows five different ways we use it.
Pam’s Refrigerator Rolls
8-10 cups flour
1½ teaspoons salt
2 tbsp yeast
1 cup sugar
6 beaten eggs
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups lukewarm water
Mix yeast in water until nearly dissolved. Pour into mixer bowl and add beaten eggs,
melted butter, and mix. Add sugar and mix slowly while adding salt and then flour, one
cup at a time, until mixture is the consistency of very thick peanut butter. Turn dough out
into a plastic bowl with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate overnight.
Melt a cube of butter. Cut dough into six equal parts, roll each one into a circle, and
brush with melted butter. Cut into 12 pizza-shaped wedges. Roll up each triangle
starting from the wide end and place on greased baking sheet. Let rise 2-3 hours until
light and fluffy. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until browned on top and bottom.
Makes 6 dozen rolls.
If making cinnamon rolls as shown in the video, here is the recipe for the buttercream
icing: Place 1 lb. (about 2 cups) powdered sugar in mixer bowl and add 1/4 c.
softened/melted butter. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and then add heavy cream until icing
reaches desired consistency. Whip on high for 3-4 minutes. For orange buttercream
icing, prepare as above but add orange juice instead of heavy cream along with the zest
from one orange.
Your Notes:
10
Sourdough
Sourdough breads use a sourdough starter or levin for leavening instead of yeast. The
videos in this section show you how you can make a starter from scratch then
manipulate it to be as mild or as strong as you wish. Keeping a starter in your
refrigerator is a great way to ensure that you can always make a batch of bread any
time you want to. If you have our bread book, the sourdough section begins on p. 61
and has written details on how to make your own starter along with recipes for
pancakes, biscuits, bread, and pizza dough.
https://youtu.be/y5QKjfDIkKk
This video shows two ways to make your own starter—with
and without using yeast.
Your Notes:
https://youtu.be/7GISg8WtOzc
This video completes the process of making your own starter
and then follows up by demonstrating how to use the starter
to make biscuits. The biscuit recipe is found in the video
description or in our bread book p. 69.
Your Notes:
11
https://youtu.be/_IPzDlGiv-w
In this video we discuss how we have standardized our
starter and how to use it for making a loaf of sourdough
bread that we then bake off-grid in a Dutch oven.
Pam’s Sourdough Bread
300g warm water
150g starter
10g salt
½ tsp olive oil
500g all-purpose flour
See the video for the mixing and baking method.
Your Notes:
https://youtu.be/oCSMGlLZhPM
This video shows how we used a bread machine for the
mixing, then removed the dough to proof and then bake in
our kitchen oven. Recipe is the same as above.
Your Notes:
12
