Baking Bread with Clara

Baking Bread

Clara read, "It says to put a tablespoon of yeast and a tablespoon of sugar into one cup of warm water first." Mimi watched as Clara sprinkled the yeast into the water.
"What's next?" Mimi asked.
"We need to add two and one half cups of flour, and mix it in the bowl" Clara answered.
Mimi scooped out the flour into the bowl and began mixing with a wooden spoon.

Baking Bread

"I need to add one half teaspoon of yeast, and then we will knead the dough until its smooth and stretchy" said Clara.
"What's kneading?" asked Mimi.
"It's when you fold the dough and squash it down over and over" Clara responded.
Clara split the dough in two and the girls kneaded the dough for ten minutes.
"This is hard work!" Mimi said.

Baking Bread

"It is hard work!" Clara agreed, "but the bread will taste so good in the end".
She placed the dough balls into two bowls and covered them with a towel.
"They need to rest for an hour so they can rise."
"Bread rests too?" asked Mimi.
"Yes!" said Clara. "That's what makes bread fluffy and soft!"

Baking Bread

One hour later, Mimi saw how big the dough ball had become.
"It's two times the size!"
"It is, and that's how we know its time to turn the oven on." replied Clara.
"Can you gently press down on the dough in the bowls to take out the air while I do that?"
Mimi pushed down on the dough. It felt like a soft pillow.
Clara got out two bread pans.
"Now we roll up the dough and put them in here."

Baking Bread

Soon the bread was in the oven. The smell in the kitchen was making both girls hungry.
"We need to tidy up the kitchen while we wait." Mimi said. She started filling the sink with hot water and soap.
Clara wiped the table and swept the floor while Mimi washed the dishes.
The timer started to beep.
"It's done!" said Clara. She put on oven mitts and pulled out the finished bread.

Baking Bread

When the bread cooled down, Clara cut herself and Mimi slices of it.
"This is so good I don't even need butter on it!" said Mimi.
"I agree," said Clara, "although some strawberry jam would be nice too".
For the rest of the week, the girls enjoyed their bread with jam, butter, honey and peanut butter.