Hungarian country loaf is a straightforward yeast bread. You can make this recipe in your own kitchen. This is a great-tasting loaf. Once you have tasted fresh homemade bread without all of the preservatives from store-bought bread, you’ll be hooked. There are a few steps, and with step-by-step photos, I know you’ll be an expert in no time.
This is the first yeast recipe I attempted to make. Did I make a few mistakes? Yes. Did I have all the tips and photos I included in this recipe? No. This is why you should try to make this loaf. Learning to make yeast bread is a skill that people who know how to cook should have. If you ask other cooks, this skill may take a few tries to master. But once you have done it, you’ll have some skills forever.
Starter
This is where you mix flour, warm water, and yeast to create a nice warm, cozy place for the yeast to wake up. For this starter, 8-10 minutes is all you need. If the starter goes too long, the yeast will run out of leavening power, and your bread won’t rise as much as you’re looking for.
If the water temperature is lower, this step may take an extra 5 minutes.
The First Rise
After you finish kneading the dough, form it into a ball and coat the outside with butter or oil. Coat the plastic with oil before covering the dough. This will help prevent the plastic from sticking to the dough when you remove it. Place the bowl in a warm place to rise. After it has doubled in bulk, you’re done with this step. Don’t let this step go too long, or the yeast will run out of leavening power, and your 2nd rise won’t be as high.
Second Kneading
Just knead the dough a little bit. Over kneading will cause the dough texture to be more chewy in the finished loaf.
After Baking
Flip the finished loaf over and if you can knock the bottom of the loaf, then your loaf is finished.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl put 4 cups of flour.
- In a small pot add water and sugar, and warm to 100-108℉. Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup flour from the large bowl with flour in it and stir. Add yeast and stir yeast, flour, sugar mixture.
- Melt butter in a small metal cup or Pyrex jar in microwave. Set aside.
- Cover and let stand for 8-10 minutes. Uncover and you will see bubbles forming on the top.
- In the large bowl with flour, add crushed fennel seeds and salt. Mix well.
- Add yeast starter to the large bowl with flour. Mix with a spatula, then your hands.
- Add butter a little at a time while kneading dough.
- Total time kneading dough will be about 10 minutes.
- Form dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl.
- Cover the dough with plastic. Let rise for about 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Uncover dough and punch down. Knead the dough a few times and place on a baking sheet. Form the dough into a loaf and cover with plastic. Let rise for 30-45 minutes. Or until doubled in bulk.
- Separate an egg. In a small bowl place the yolk and mix slightly. Set aside.
- Uncover the loaf and brush the top with the egg white. Sprinkle the loaf with 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds.
- Take a knife and slice the loaf down the middle about 3/4 inch deep.
- Place the loaf in a pre heated oven 400℉ for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes lower the oven temp to 350℉ for an additional 10 minutes.
