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

ruthie says

February 11, 2012 at 7:00 pm

Thanks for visiting my blog! I will be sure to post "after" photos. I am anxious to get to that point!

Reply
Susan DeAngelis says

February 11, 2012 at 1:32 pm

WOW!!! your blog sold me... might have to make this with my daughter. I'm going to subscribe. Nice to meet you new friend... Sue

Reply
Stealthy Mom says

February 11, 2012 at 4:12 am

What a gorgeous looking loaf of bread! I am so gald you got photos as proof of your efforts; I suspect it was devoured quickly!

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Catherine says

February 11, 2012 at 3:19 am

Dear Lois, You make it look so easy!! That bread is just waiting for butter! It looks delicious. Blessings my dear, Catherine xo

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Blondee says

February 11, 2012 at 2:24 am

That looks better than the bread from the local bakery! Mmmm!

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Sue says

February 11, 2012 at 1:56 am

One of my goals this year is to make more bread at home, and after reading of the sodium in store bought bread i am more determined than ever. This looks so delicious.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Sue

Reply
Happy@Home says

February 11, 2012 at 1:02 am

That looks so good and I can only imagine how good it smells as it bakes. What a great idea to bake it in a bundt pan!
If I make bread I usually do it in my bread machine. I need to do it more often.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Reply
ruthie says

February 10, 2012 at 11:44 pm

I make french bread all the time but I've never tried it in a bundt pan. Great idea! I'm anxious to give it a try.

Reply
Mrs. Mordecai says

February 10, 2012 at 8:48 pm

This looks amazing! I have never thought to shape my bread that way before—I bet my family would love it!

Reply
Nezzy says

February 10, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Oh baby, I can almost smell that fresh bread now!!! Mmmmmm...I've got some fresh Ozark Mountain Creamy milk...I'll be right over. Heeehehehe!!!

I adore makin' bread and find it very therapeutic besides yummy!!!

God bless ya sweeite and have a fantabulous weekend!!! :o)

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Homemade Italian Bread

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