- Act one, preparing and mixing ingredients, takes about 30-45 minutes.
Scroll down for pictures of act one. - The first intermission, while the dough rises, takes about 1 hour.
- Act two, kneading the dough and shaping it into loaves,, takes about 30 minutes.
- The second intermission, after the dough has been shaped into loaves takes about 45 minutes.
- Act three, preparing and putting the loaves in the oven, takes about 20 minutes.
- Then the bread bakes for about 40 minutes.
By careful planning, you can fit the project to your time constraints by adjusting the length of the intermissions. The length of the intermissions varies with the temperature of the room where you are making the bread. The warmer the room, the faster the bread will rise. My numbers are based on a warm room. Yeast causes bread to rise, and it slows down in cooler temperatures. So, you can lengthen the intermissions by putting the bread in a cooler place to rise. Some bakers prefer a slower rise, for improved flavor.
- In working with yeast, the temperature matters, but is adjustable. Liquid that is too warm (over about 115 degrees Fahrenheit) can kill the yeast. Liquid that is cooler than optimum will slow down the growth of the yeast, but will not kill it. You can use this knowledge to adjust the length of the intermissions between the acts.
- Measurements of flour in making bread do not have to be precise. It takes judgment to see whether to add more flour. If the dough sticks to your hands, you need more flout. Add it in small quantities until you can handle the dough without it sticking to your hands.
- Oil will also keep the dough from sticking to your hands. That is a reason for brushing the dough with oil. Another function of that oil is that it keeps the dough from drying out.
Ruth Ann