Have recipe-need baking instructions-HELP!

[Amazing324]

I now have a great Kitchenaid mixer and am ready for my first attempt at making bread. What I would like is a nice French or Italian loaf but this recipe seems simple for a first attempt.
I bought two different packages of yeast. The first reads "Active Dry Yeast" and comes in three 1/4 oz packs. The second reads "Quick-Rise Yeast" and comes in the same size packs. Which do I use? Does it matter?
The problem is, he's assuming I know what to do next. I don't.
1/2 cup warm water
3 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups high gluten flour
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Place warm water in a warm mixing bowl and add yeast. Stir to dissolve and let stand 3 minutes. Add salt and sugar and stir through. Add flour and olive oil and mix, using hands until you can knead the dough without it sticking to your fingers. Add more water, if needed.
Wash and dry hands and remove ball to cutting board. Knead the dough, occasionally dusting with 1 teaspoon flour, until a firm, smooth homogenous ball is formed, about 15 minutes. Place ball of dough in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a warm place until its size is doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down and divide into 2 pieces.
Dough is now ready for use. "
(PS) I've looked around the site and found lots of things I want to try but for today I want the simplest (most idiot-proof) way to have a decent loaf of bread w/ dinner. My preference being a long loaf with a crispy crust and chewy inside. Do I ask too much?

 

[tdejarnette]

I've used either kind of yeast and it doesn't seem to make much difference, maybe because it is so cold here! Just keep an eye on the rise until it is double. With the mixer, mix in flour until dough "cleans the side of the bowl"

For kneading, mix at speed 2 for 2 minutes instead of doing it by hand.

My Kitchenaid mixer recipe book has a recipe for Honey Oatmeal Bread and 60 minute rolls, both I've made often and we really love.

 

[Amazing324]

Thanks tdejarnette.
I couldn't get to the computer to check for responses for a while so I took my best guess. (Scary, huh?) It's rising now. Wish me luck.
As I was cleaning my Pride & Joy my eyes fell on the book that came with it and I was wondering if there may be something good along those lines. I appreciate the recommendations and will give them a try.
It's even getting cold here. 19 tonight, I think. That's pretty cold for us.

 

[Aria]

Amazing324, there are many posts on Bread. Check them out. New York Times Recipe and Making Bread in your Food Processor etc. There are many recipes and suggestions on yeast bread baking.

 

[Candocook]

If you become serious about bread baking I suggest a good book such as Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice to understand the process as well as enjoy it.

 

[subfuscpersona]

If you're new to bread making, French or Italian bread is not the easiest bread to start with. I hope your recipe turned out well.

> on yeast - for best results active dry yeast should be dissolved in water before using whereas Rapid Rise yeast (or any yeast labeled bread machine yeast) should be added directly to dry ingredients. Click here for more information on yeast

> on flour - Baguettes do not require high gluten flour. Some brands of unbleached all-purpose flour work fine (I never use bleached all-purpose flour). I've used (and recommend) the following brands of unbleached All-purpose flour for French or Italian bread: King Arthur All-purpose and Heckers All-purpose. I would *not* use White Lily All-purpose flour (if it is sold in your area) because White Lily All-purpose flour is not really suited for bread (it is especially made for biscuits, cakes and pastry).

> other baguette recipes - When you're ready to try a somewhat more complex (but also more authentic) approach to making baguettes, take a look at these recipes from Amy Scherber, one of the leading artisan bakers in New York City.
Baguette Recipe courtesy of Amy Scherber at Foodnetwork - a reasonably easy but good recipe
Rustic Italian Bread by Amy Scherber - a more complex approach but makes an excellent bread

Finally, click here for my recipe for baguettes. It may be too lengthy for your purposes, but it has many photos of the bread making process as well as very detailed instructions which you may find helpful regardless of the recipe you chose.

 

[Amazing324]

Thank you all for your help & interest.
Subfuscpersona, thanks of all of the links and advice. I've already saved a lot of it.
It's funny that everywhere I look I'm seeing so much about bread making. I got my latest Cook's Illustrated and they have a recipe for Olive Bread and a whole section on bread-making tips. Before I made it, I read through a lot of the threads here on DC about it.
As far as the loaf I made the other night. I'm thrilled with it. My husband and I both love it. It was Emeril's Basic Italian Bread and I think it turned out pretty well. (I wish I'd taken a picture.) It was HUGE and crisp on the outside and chewey on the inside. I'm sure it can use improving but I'm pretty pleased. I'm looking forward to making more. I'm particularly interested in more rustic and interesting breads. (Hmmmm, maybe my husband will make me a fire pit oven so I can make that middle eastern bread that they throw against the wall of the oven.....)
I think another bug bit me...
Thanks again DC community. You always come through.

 

[Katie H]

As far as the loaf I made the other night. I'm thrilled with it. My husband and I both love it. It was Emeril's Basic Italian Bread and I think it turned out pretty well. (I wish I'd taken a picture.) It was HUGE and crisp on the outside and chewey on the inside. I'm sure it can use improving but I'm pretty pleased.

Hey, Amazing. I have been to Emeril's home site and didn't come up with any bread called "Emeril's Basic Italian Bread." Could you post the link? I'd like to try it based on your comments. Thanks.

And keep bakin' bread. It's one of the most satisfying things to do in the kitchen. You MUST try the N.Y. Times bread, too. It's a have-to-have in our house.

 

[Amazing324]

I think you must be right about the satisfaction of baking bread.
Here is the link to where I got the recipe. If you have any problem, I can just copy it to you.
Recipes : Basic Italian Bread : Food Network

 

[subfuscpersona]

hi Amazing324

I'm so glad the bread turned out well. Once you get bitten by the bread making bug its hard to turn back

Here are a few more links you may find helpful.

Click here for the link to theartisan.net - this excellent site on making Italian breads is worth exploring in it's entirety. It has discussions of bread making techniques as well as many authentic Italian bread recipes.

Click here for a recipe for Potato Rosemary Bread - the recipe is from The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart

You may also find this DC thread on making artisan bread helpful - has recipes, photos and trouble-shooting tips. Many DC members posted to it over a long period of time so it is very long. To make it easier to skim the thread for posts that are of interest to you, go to the user Control Panel and click on Edit Options. On that page, scroll down to Thread Display Options and change the Number of Posts to Show per Page to 40 (the maximum).

Best of luck with all your future bread baking. Don't be a stranger - post back to DC and share your experiences with the rest of us. - SF

 

[Aria]

Amazing, Just visited the food site for the Italian Bread. This is the first time I have seen a recipe for Italian Bread with Brown Sugar as an ingredient.
Interesting.

 

[Amazing324]

I didn't realize that it was unusual. It could have had vinegar in it and I wouldn't have known the difference.
I'll learn. I intend to try a lot of different recipes.
Is there any point in a recipe like that one that I would ever be able to stop the process until the following day or so? Can I freeze or refrigerate the dough & bake it when I want it? I love the bread but trying to make it come out with my meal (especially contending with my inexperience) was really tough. Also, unsuccessful....
When I get some time and can get on the computer for more than a few minutes at a time, I'd really like to spend some times reading through the DC threads on the subject and some of the suggested links. Ah well. G'night all.

 

[subfuscpersona]

refrigerating and/or freezing dough

Is there any point in a recipe like that one that I would ever be able to stop the process until the following day or so? Can I freeze or refrigerate the dough & bake it when I want it? I love the bread but trying to make it come out with my meal (especially contending with my inexperience) was really tough. Also, unsuccessful....

Yes, you can refrigerate or freeze dough - see this post re refrigerating or freezing bread dough and this post re freezing preferments (a preferment is risen dough used as an ingredient in the final recipe - many of the links I gave you use this approach). Estimating the amount of time required for the final rise can be a bit tricky though you'll learn with experience. Post back if you still have questions.