Tips For Making Your Own Fresh Italian Bread
When it comes to supplying a consistent, quality product to your customers, working with a wholesale bread supplier is often the easiest way. Not only can they meet the volume that you'll need to ensure that you have enough inventory, but the commercially-produced bread products that they sell are made in a controlled environment to ensure that you're getting the same quality every single time. It's important that you have a reliable supplier for your primary inventory needs, but when you're looking to provide something custom, you should have a go-to recipe. Here's a great recipe to produce an Italian bread loaf that will bring your customers back for more.
The Ingredients
- 5 teaspoons, or 2 packets, of instant dry yeast
- 1/2 cup of warm water – around 110 degrees (temperature is important for activating the yeast)
- 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons of room-temperature butter
- 2 1/2 cups of warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees so you don't kill the yeast)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 8 cups of flour
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
The Instructions
- Combine the yeast, 1/2 cup of water and sugar in a large bowl. Set it aside for five to ten minutes so that the yeast can proof. You'll see the yeast start to foam on the top of the water, that's how you know it's working.
- Once the yeast has proofed, add the butter, warm water, salt and egg. Mix it all together well.
- Work the flour into the mixture a cup at a time until it forms a soft, workable dough. The dough shouldn't stick to your fingers, and it should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Put the dough on a floured counter and knead it, folding it over on itself and working it together. Do this for about ten minutes, or until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
- Grease a clean bowl, or spray it with cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl and cover it. Place it somewhere out of the way to rise for about an hour.
- Place the risen dough a counter that's lightly covered in flour. Divide it into two loaves. Shape the loaves into elongated shapes, then place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Cut a straight line down the top center of each loaf with a sharp knife. Bake them for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until they sound hollow when you tap the top.
- Use a pastry brush to cover the top lightly with the melted butter while it's warm, then let it cool before you package it.
