Homemade Italian Bread

Have you ever made homemade bread?I have and I've been making homemade bread for years and it's not hard! I've even made it without my Kitchen Aid Mixer! But a few years ago the Colonel gave me a Kitchen Aid mixer for Mother's Day and it's wonderful. If you don't have a mixer with a dough hook, don't let that stop you from trying this recipe for homemade Italian bread.

After your yeast has risen, combine it with the flour and salt into a big bowl and begin to mix everything together with a wooden spoon or a regular mixer. Then transfer the dough to the counter and start the kneading process of pulling the dough ball towards you and pushing it away adding more flour until the dough is no longer sticky.After 5 to 10 minutes of hand kneading, the dough will become really soft and smooth and YOU'RE done!

Ingredients:

1 cup Warm Water

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 envelope Active Dry Yeast (2 ¼ Teaspoons)

1 teaspoon Salt

3 cups Bread Flour (I use regular flour and the bread comes out fine)

Combine the yeast with the warm water (105 - 110 degrees) and add the honey.

Let this sit for about 5 to 10 minutes.

You want to make sure your yeast is alive.

Happy, alive yeast.

Add the yeast to your mixing bowl.

Add the salt.

Begin adding the flour, in ¼ cup intervals.

Once the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl set a timer for 5 minutes and walk away. Let the mixer knead the dough for you.

Perfectly kneaded dough.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about one hour.

Now the fun begins by shaping the dough! You can divide the dough in half and twist each half.

Or you can do my favorite way and divide the dough in half, twist each half and then place both halves into a greased bundt pan.

Either way you decide, let the dough rise again until it is doubled in size.

I like to brush my bread dough with melted butter before baking. Bake your Italian bread in a preheated 385 oven for about 20 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Homemade Italian Bread on a cutting board from Walking on Sunshine.

Doesn't that look delicious?

Homemade Italian Bread sliced on a cutting board from Walking on Sunshine.

Hasselback Chicken Stuffed with Mozzarella, Basil and Tomatoes

Homemade Tomato Sauce with Meatballs - perfect for the homemade bread recipe!

About Lois

Originally from Queens, NY, Lois is the voice behind Walking on Sunshine Recipes, where she shares easy, family-friendly meals made with simple ingredients. She believes dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious and offers practical recipes, monthly meal plans, and free printables to help busy families cook with less stress and more joy. When she’s not in the kitchen, Lois enjoys time with her family, gardening and sharing inspiration from her home in rural Pennsylvania.

Comments

HungryLittleGirl says

November 19, 2012 at 8:04 am

I have to say it: This bread looks better, than any at the store. So fluffy and even. Great job!
Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza! Hope to see you there again this week 🙂

Reply
~Summer~ says

February 22, 2012 at 1:28 am

Hello! Am your new follower and your recipes look so yummy! Love to make more mommy friends out there! Be in touch!

Cheers,
Summer
http://ahappymum.blogspot.com

Reply
Gareth says

February 16, 2012 at 10:10 pm

I'm definitely trying this out this weekend!

Reply
LDH says

February 16, 2012 at 11:41 am

Oh YES! Your bread looks so good!!!

Reply
Hoe says

February 13, 2012 at 9:38 am

It does look delicious! I hope you can put some raisins on it, because I love raisin bread.

Reply
Tiffanee says

February 13, 2012 at 2:42 am

That looks so delicious! I have never seen it done that way and it looks amazing!! Wanting some right now!

Reply
Miss Debbie says

February 12, 2012 at 11:38 pm

My daughter(married 1 1/2 years) has started making homemade bread. She is putting her mom to shame! She, too, says it is easy...but I am not convinced! 🙂

Reply
Emily says

February 12, 2012 at 5:41 am

This is one of my favorite things to make! Love your pictures!

Reply
Elena says

February 12, 2012 at 12:40 am

Yummy! I love homemade bread! It is my weakness and I can always have another piece of bread 🙂

Reply
Maple Lane says

February 12, 2012 at 12:16 am

The bread looks absolutely delicious! Happy Valentine's weekend!

Reply

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Homemade Italian Bread

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