I love bread. What I don’t love is how no one told me how easy it is to make until I was well into my twenties. Bread crafting and the science behind bread always eluded me. That is until I went to Ballymaloe Cookery School, which so conveniently happens to be home base for The Chopping Block's Ireland Culinary Tour this summer.
I know what you are thinking: “Ugh, Chef Matt is going to preach about the joys of making sourdough through flowery prose and imagery of the idyllic farm he studied culinary arts at.” And to that I say, “You are only partially correct.” We’re not spending time on sourdough today. And listen, I love a good loaf of sourdough but the truth of the matter is, they are time consuming and a little difficult for a type B person like myself to really devote time to.
At culinary school, we had a converted shipping container turned into a bread bakery nicknamed “the bread shed.” Each morning, students who felt so inclined could go make loaves of sourdough that would then be sold to the community. As delightful as it was, I only spent a few days in there because getting up at 5am to bake bread every day was just not gonna happen for an insomniac like myself.
Instead of spending hours perfecting my sourdough, I decided I wanted to invest my time in learning how to make other types of breads. I was delighted with what I found. Most yeasted breads do indeed take patience but they don’t always have to be an all-day affair. When I came home from culinary school in January of 2024, I made a promise to myself that I would never ever ever buy grocery store bagged bread ever again. It was just too easy and cost effective to just do it myself. Now, of course, I will occasionally treat myself to a fancy loaf from a nice reputable bakery. But the name Sara Lee hasn’t darkened my doorstep in months.
While it is fun to mix it up from time to time and try new recipes, my favorite recipe for a basic white bread is a recipe I came across on TikTok of all places. @alexandraskitchen is the creator that I found this recipe through. If you are a TikTok user, I recommend giving her a follow. All her recipes are super accessible and innovative. She has a few ‘quick and easy’ bread recipes throughout her page, but this is the one I have used the most
Alexandra’s Kitchen Sandwich Bread
Recipe credit: @alexandraskitchen
Yields: 1 loaf
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
3 cups bread flour
1.5 teaspoon dry instant yeast
1.5 teaspoon sugar
1.5 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups lukewarm water (about 100º F)
- Measure together all dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Pour in water and work dough in bowl until it comes together forming a wet dough.
- Cover with plastic and allow this dough to rise until doubled.
- Punch dough back and allow the dough to stretch by picking up and letting the dough droop down. Fold it back in on itself. Repeat this process a few times.
- Reform dough into a ball and place in a heavily buttered loaf pan.
- Cover and allow to rise again until dough crests the top of the loaf pan. Preheat oven to 375º degrees F.
- Bake at 375º for 45 min. Let cool to room temperature and enjoy!
Another one of my favorite bread recipes is a traditional Irish Soda Bread. I would love to share my recipe here, but you’ll have to come to my Tasting Table demo on Tuesday, March 17 at 6pm to see that dish in action. There are only a few spots left, and enjoying my Irish-inspired spring-forward menu is the perfect way to spend St. Patrick's Day!
- Elderflower Gin and Tonic
- Irish Mussel Chowder with Potatoes and Fresh Thyme
- Spring Garden Salad with Arugula, Asparagus, Chives and Citrus Vinaigrette
- Irish Soda Bread with Rosemary
- Lemon-Basil Posset
If reading about Ballymaloe has you dreaming of baking bread where it all began, join us this summer on The Chopping Block’s Ireland Culinary Tour and experience the magic of Irish food, farms and cooking firsthand.
