Journey Through The Kitchen: Basic Bread

When I was small, one of my favourite books was the Famous Five series. Often, in this book, there would be instances when the Five would go to farms and the 'wife of the farmer' would prepare freshly baked bread for them. The way the bread was described, I began to fancy baking my own bread. And then, as I grew big, and began following blogs, I read people's stories on how they prepared bread. According to them, it was super easy, and when the bread is ready in the oven, the whole house is filled with this smell that is incomparable. This inspired me to bake my own bread, and I got this recipe from Shilpa akka(aayisrecipes.com). The bread was ready in a jiffy, with very little hardwork(though you should wait for it to proof, and and you will find yourself getting restless). However, I have one complaint--my house was not filled with that smell. Though the bread smelt great, it did not act like a 'house freshener':D. Nevertheless, it is a simply great recipe that I have been using since quite a long time and it has never failed.

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 and 3/4 cups water(approx)
1 tea spn honey
1/4 cup chopped olives/roughly ground flax seeds
2 tea spns active dry yeast
1/4 tea spn red chilli flakes
1 tea spn salt
2 tbl spn butter
For brushing:
1 tbl spn butter
Dried oregano or basil

Method:
Add salt and honey to luke warm water. Add yeast and leave it for 10mins to get active.

Add all other ingredients.Roll into 2 balls. Mix and leave it in a warm place till the dough doubles in volume (It took approx 1hr for me).

Now take the dough on a clean surface and knead dough for about 2-3mins. Shape it into desired size and keep on the baking tray.

Leave it for another 30mins till they proof again. With a knife, put a cut on the dough. Preheat the oven at 450F for 10mins.Bake the bread for about 15mins.