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Farm Fare: Homemade East Hill Farm Bread

EHF Bread
Ah, springtime! We have been waiting months to be able to fling open the windows and drink in the clean spring air.  That sweet, sun-warmed breeze carries with it all of the sounds and smells that mean springtime at the Farm: the joyful whinnies, baas, oinks, moos and hee-haws as the animals are able to spend more time out in the pastures (and sunshine!); the sound of the lawn mower and the bright smell of fresh-cut grass; the occasional sprinkle of rain and the subsequent sparkling, green smell in the air.

If you aren’t able to experience firsthand the invigorating energy that spring at East Hill Farm offers, you can enjoy your own little piece of the Farm right in your kitchen!  With our simple (and scrumptious) recipe below, you can delight in the comforting smell of fresh-baked bread and savor a time-honored taste of East Hill Farm in your home.  Throw open your windows and whip up a loaf (or three!) of your favorite EHF bread today!

EHF Bread 1East Hill Farm’s Homemade Bread Recipe

Materials
– Cooking spray
– 4 x 8-inch bread pan
– Medium mixing bowl
– Mixing spoon or spatula
– Clean, dry work surface for kneading (parchment paper works well)
– Cooling rack

Ingredients
– 1 ¾ cups warm water
– 2 tablespoons yeast
– 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 tablespoon canola oil
– 4 cups white flour, divided

Directions
Coat bottom and sides of 4 x 8-inch bread pan with cooking spray.

In medium mixing bowl, stir together warm water, yeast, sugar, salt and canola oil.  Let rest until bubbly or foamy to activate yeast.

Add 3 ½ cups flour and mix well.

Sprinkle some of remaining ½ cup flour onto clean, dry work surface.  Place dough on floured work surface and turn several times to coat.  Knead until dough is no longer sticky, adding additional flour slowly as needed.  Dough is ready when it rebounds when pressed with a finger.

Place dough in prepared bread pan. Let bread rise 10-15 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400° while bread rises.

Bake at 400° 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Bread will slide easily out of pan when ready.

EHF Bread 2Storage
Because our homemade bread does not contain preservatives, we recommend freezing to maintain freshness.  Remove bread from bread pan and cool on cooling rack.  Once completely cool, slice loaf to desired thickness, wrap in plastic, and seal in freezer bag (pressing any air out of the bag).  When ready to enjoy, defrost as much bread as you would like – one slice or the whole loaf!  If you prefer not to freeze, bread should maintain freshness for 2-3 days.

EHF Bread 3Serving Suggestion
Our homemade bread is super for sandwiches and tasty for toast.  Try our cinnamon-raisin bread for your French toast!

* For our homemade cinnamon-raisin bread, follow recipe above to make dough. Before placing dough in pan to rise, gently knead or pat dough into rectangle (about 6 x 10 inches). Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar (1 part cinnamon to 2 parts sugar) and raisins as desired.  Roll tightly from narrow end. Fold over and pinch ends under. Place dough in bread pan with seam facing down.

** For our homemade wheat bread, follow recipe above using 1 ¾ cups wheat flour and 1 ¾ cups white flour to make dough.

Do you have a variation on EHF’s Homemade Bread that you’d like to share? Be sure to comment with your suggestions!

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5 Comments

  1. Kathy Chelsen on April 16, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    One of my best memories from my family’s visits to the farm in the late 70’s early 80’s was the bread at dinner — hot out of the oven. We were a family of six, so that bread never had a chance to cool One year I bought the recently published cookbook, which included the bread recipe and made it a few times over the years. Tried to make it here in Ghana (where I am on assignment for the State Department) but it didn’t rise as much — but it still tasted it good!!!

    • Jennifer on May 13, 2014 at 5:25 pm

      You will have to stop by when you are back in the states and have some of the bread fresh from the oven! Thanks for sharing your family memories!

    • Jeff Benevento on November 1, 2020 at 3:37 pm

      Omg right!! The 80s. Were awesome there! Anytime is awesome there. But we are going to try make bread here at home. Still wont be the same..

      Jeff
      Amesbury, Ma

  2. Harold Raymond on November 28, 2019 at 2:08 pm

    How well I remember making thousands of loaves of bread, lunch time rolls, hamburg and hot dog rolls for the Wednesday Lake day. I still make this bread to this day 41 years later. I worked at the Inn from 1973 till 1980, taking over for Marcel Marrotte as the cook. Teaching Tom Walsh who took over after I left. The memories are so many. Sheri, Jennifer were just kids and Marshall was my little buddy who would pop in the kitchen. Dave and Sally were such wonderful people. Harold Raymond / Bakersfield, California……

    • Jennifer on November 28, 2019 at 4:25 pm

      Hello Harold- So nice to hear from you. Happy Thanksgiving! Dave, Sally, Sheri, Jennifer and Marshall

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