Best Earls Homemade Bread Recipes

EARL'S HOMEMADE BREAD FOR THE KITCHENAID

Steps:

• When measuring the flour, fluff it with a spoon and then spoon it into the measuring cup and level but DO NOT PACK. This is the most important thing for getting consistency.
• Place flour, salt and yeast in the mixer bowl but don't turn on mixer. In a separate container, place the warm water and add the oil first and then the honey, using the same measuring spoon, as the oil will keep the honey from sticking to the spoon.
• Stir the liquids together and stir them, then turn on the mixer with dough hook installed to low speed for 15 seconds. Then add the liquid mixture all at once and turn the mixer to its lowest speed for about a minute and a half-until ingredients are pretty well together and shut it off. Let it rest this way for 10 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to the second speed and let it run 3 minutes. Remove the dough hook and turn the dough onto a floured board or table. Knead 3 or 4 times to get the air bubbles out.
• Place it in an oiled bowl (you can put it back in the mixer bowl) and put it in a warm place, like your oven with a cloth draped over it for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, punch it down and turn it onto the floured surface and knead another three or four times. Form loaves and put into 2 loaf pans.
• Put them in the same warm place with a cloth draped over them and let them rise 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is the color you like. If you put a small pan of water on the rack below the bread, it will make the crust softer and chewier. Remove from pans and let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.
• I usually brush the tops with olive oil because it softens the crust a bit and makes the loaves look nice.
• This bread has a wonderful flavor and keeps very well.

EARL GREY BREAD

Steps:

• Cut open tea bags and place leaves in a tea strainer. Steep in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let tea cool.
• Pour cooled tea into a bread machine. Add bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Run White Bread cycle. Add the butter when the machine beeps, about 15 minutes into the kneading stage.
• Remove loaf from the machine after the cycle is done, about 3 hours.

EARL'S HOMEMADE BREAD

Steps:

• Place all dry ingredients in the mixer bowl but don't turn on mixer. In a separate container, place the warm water and add the oil first and then the honey, using the same measuring spoon, as the oil will keep the honey from sticking to the spoon.
• Stir the liquids together and stir them, then turn on the mixer with dough hook installed to low speed for 15 seconds. Then add the liquid mixture all at once and turn the mixer to its lowest speed for about a minute and a half-until ingredients are pretty well together and shut it off. Let it rest this way for 10 minutes.
• Turn the mixer to the second speed and let it run 3 minutes. Remove the dough hook and turn the dough onto a floured board or table. Knead 3 or 4 times to get the air bubbles out.
• Place it in an oiled bowl (you can put it back in the mixer bowl) and put it in a warm place, like your oven with a cloth draped over it for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, punch it down and turn it onto the floured surface and knead another three or four times. Form loaves and put into 2 loaf pans.
• Put them in the same warm place with a cloth draped over them and let them rise 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is the color you like. If you put a small pan of water on the rack below the bread, it will make the crust softer and chewier. Remove from pans and let cool at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.
• I usually brush the tops with olive oil because it softens the crust a bit and makes the loaves look nice.
• This bread has a wonderful flavor and keeps very well.

EARL GREY SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Pulse the tea leaves briefly in a spice grinder until ground but not powdery. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in the flour and salt.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add 2 1/2 cups confectioners¿ sugar and the vanilla and beat until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until smooth, about 1 more minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until just combined.
• Scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on top and press the dough evenly into the pan; remove the plastic wrap. Bake until the shortbread is firm and the edges are just light golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 20 minutes in the pan. Gently lift the shortbread out of the pan using the foil overhang. Slice into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the remaining 1 cup confectioners¿ sugar and the milk in a bowl until smooth; drizzle over the shortbread. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and let set, 20 to 30 minutes.