Homemade bread recipe Bacon bread

Another result of my successful homemade bread recipe experiments : bacon bread.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of bacon or any other meats, I’d live just on simple homemade breads ,fruits and veggies .But seeing how people go crazy for bacon and it’s basically used in any possible meals and dishes, even in desserts, I’m not trying that one,of course,I decided to create a homemade bread recipe with bacon included. To my surprize it turned out really delicious, flavourful , with super crispy crust ,yet soft and smooth textured inside, with little crunchy bites of bacon.I used some spices such as red hot chili flakes, coarse salt and black pepper,to give the bread more flavour and design, but those could be optional of course .First time I made this bread ,I saved some of the fried,chopped bacon bites to sprinkle over the tops, turned out really good .If you want to do that, make sure to brush the tops with egg white wash so the bites stick to the bread.

Don’t be afraid to use something you’d prefer better.I’m sure the bread will still taste very delicious and different from anything you’ve tried before.You can always freeze any leftovers,make sure to do that the very same day you baked it.Wrap it in a cling plastic, then in a foil and freeze up to 3 weeks.I doubt you’d have any leftovers for homemade bread, but thought I’ll let you know:)

I’ll be anxious to hear your comments/ feedbacks.

Here comes my homemade bread recipe with beloved bacon itself:)

Happy baking!

Ingredients

3½ Cups all purpose flour (always use unbleached flour)

1 Tbs instant yeast (if using active yeast, activate in warm water before adding)

2 Tbs kosher or sea salt

2 Tbs sugar

16 oz (454 grams) fried ,coarsely chopped bacon

1 Tsp red hot chili pepper flakes (optional)

1 Cup warm water

½ Cup buttermilk or full fat milk

1 Egg, beaten

2 Tbs melted bacon fat (save some after you fry, no need to strain)

Ingredients for bread design (optional)

Approx. 1 Tbs coarse salt & ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth dough forms

Transfer onto lightly floured clean working surface and knead about 5-7 minutes

Don’t add too much flour!

Place the dough into lightly greased large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel

Let it rest in a warm place until doubled in size (50-60 minutes,depending on temperature )

Turn it onto working surface and knead gently using stretch and fold technique

Shape into a ball and place it back into the bowl for second rise (45-60 minutes)

Repeat the same process twice

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions

Shape as desired (long baguette or oval,or round )

Place shaped breads on a lined baking pan (use foil or parchment paper )

Lightly brush the tops with vegetable oil

Sprinkle with coarse salt and black pepper (optional)

Let the shaped loaves to rest and rise another 30-40 minutes lightly covered with a towel

At this point you can preheat the oven to 475° F/250° C degree

Prior baking ,use a sharp knife to slash the bread

To make sure you have that crispy crust ,drop a few ice cubes into the oven,right before baking to create steam

Bake 10 minutes ,then lower the temperature to 450° F/220° C and bake another 10-15 minutes

Remember to switch baking pans halfway through the baking

Tip:

Depending on the shape, baking time may vary

Long slim baguettes will bake faster than thick oval or round shaped ones,so keep an eye