3 Young, Blue Australorp Gentlemen, Keeping Two

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I feel like all of us who picked the same as you should get cookies. I like chocolate chip. Or macadamia nut.

I agree, I'd love to hang out and chat about chooks over cookies and coffee with y'all! Preferably Pepperidge Farm.

 

[SourRoses]

 

[3KillerBs]

I feel like all of us who picked the same as you should get cookies. I like chocolate chip. Or macadamia nut.

I agree, I'd love to hang out and chat about chooks over cookies and coffee with y'all! Preferably Pepperidge Farm.

How about cinnamon-raisin swirl bread (from a recipe that uses 12 eggs for 2 large loaves)?

I'm not much on baking cookies, pastry, etc, but I'm good with bread.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

How about cinnamon-raisin swirl bread (from a recipe that uses 12 eggs for 2 large loaves)?

I'm not much on baking cookies, pastry, etc, but I'm good with bread.

Recipe? That's sounds uh-mazing! Plus I need something special I can bring to Church...

 

[3KillerBs]

Recipe? That's sounds uh-mazing! Plus I need something special I can bring to Church...

Sure. I had it published in a local paper, but since that paper's going out of business I made sure that I had rights to all my articles. (Oops, 8 eggs. I forgot I was using pullet eggs the last time).

Rich Egg Bread

A moist bread with plenty of flavor and a crust that’s crisp but tender. It’s made using the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day technique for making storable dough and is a more economical variation on the Brioche. Measuring ingredients by weight makes a more consistent bread.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups very warm water

16oz eggs beaten eggs (approx. 8, US Large eggs). Must be room-temperature, not refrigerator-cold.

½ cup oil

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tbs yeast

1 tbs salt

2lbs, 8oz all-purpose flour


Mix water, eggs, oil, and sugar together in your dough bucket.

Sprinkle yeast and then salt on top of the liquids.

Add flour and mix thoroughly using a dough whisk or a sturdy wooden spoon. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky -- neither really wet nor stiff. If uncertain about the texture, the Breadin5 YouTube channel demonstrates the technique.

Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled.

At this point the dough can be used immediately or refrigerated to use later. It is easier to handle the cold dough.

When ready to bake, prepare a baking sheet with nonstick spray and a dusting of flour.

Dust your hands and the surface of the dough with flour to make it possible to handle the dough. Pull out ⅓ to ½ of the dough according to how large a loaf you want. A steak knife is useful for cutting the dough portion loose from the blob.

Create a gluten cloak by wrapping the outside of the dough ball around itself and tucking the edges under (again see the video for the technique). Then form a round or oblong loaf.

Allow dough to rise 30-90 minutes depending on the temperature of the dough and the room. Dough should double.

When the dough is nearly ready, preheat your oven to 350F.

Slash the top of the dough with a floured steak knife to allow it to expand in the oven.

Bake 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the loaf until it is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Cool on a rack and cut when fully cooled (bread cut too warm will get sticky inside).

Store unused dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (Dough made with eggs does not last as long as dough made only with water). Recipe can be halved if desired.

Variations:

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread: After the gluten cloak stage, flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Spread with a mixture of softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle generously with raisins. Roll the dough to form a loaf, pinching the edge firmly closed, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Herb-Onion Bread: After the gluten cloak stage, flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Spread with softened butter then sprinkle with minced fresh onion and Italian seasoning. Roll the dough to form a loaf, pinching the edge firmly closed, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.


Tip: If in doubt about a rolled loaf sealing firmly you can brush a little water onto the edge before pinching it.