Hi my beautiful witches! :) The Super Blue Blood Moon is tonight which made me want to do a little kitchen magick! I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
2 ¼ cups warm water (DON’T put boiling/hot water)
Any herbs that you think would go well in a loaf of bread (In my case, I chose rubbed sage, rosemary, oregano, and basil)
Any type of shredded/grated cheese (or you can grate it yourself! This is optional.)
1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
¾ tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil
5 ½ – 6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour (see note)
Notes: Humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe. Remember, yeast LOVES moisture, so if your dough is too dry or you add too much flour, it may have trouble rising. Also, this was made the old fashion way, with a wooden spoon, my hands, and a large bowl.
In a large bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. If using active dry yeast, let the mixture bubble and foam before proceeding (this can take some time). If using instant yeast, proceed with the recipe (no need to feed the yeast, or let the yeast activate)
Add the salt, oil, garlic powder, herbs and 3 cups of flour and start mixing. Add in 2 ½ to 3 more cups of flour gradually until the dough forms a soft ball that doesn’t leave a lot of dough residue on your fingers. Knead for as long as you want (I did it for about 20 minutes), or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticks to the bowl or your hands. If the dough starts to cling to the sides of the bowl, add a little bit of flour at a time until a sturdy but soft ball of dough forms.
Transfer the dough to another large bowl, lightly grease it, and cover with a towel or greased plastic wrap. If you are using plastic, make sure to grease it as well so it doesn’t stick to it. (I found that using cheap shower caps work best because of the elastic and it doesn’t stick as much.) Let the dough rise for about an hour or so or (the speed will depend on the texture and moisture of your dough, and the warmth of your kitchen, as well as many other factors) until it has doubled in size.
Turn the dough onto a lightly greased surface and divide in half if you’d like. You can make any shape you want at this point, baguette, normal rectangle shaped loaves or even braid it. Press out any air bubbles or seams with the heel of your hand, and pinch the edge to seal. Arrange seam side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I use separate wax paper for each loaf).
Cover with greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and again, let the loaves rise until noticeably puffy. It should take about an hour or so, or monitor it until it has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and make sure an oven rack is in the center position. With a very sharp knife, make several gashes at an angle on the top of each loaf to make it all pretty.
OPTIONAL: Beat an egg and gently (with a brush or paper towel) paint the surface of your loaf with it, this will give it a beautiful golden color as it bakes. You can also sprinkle it with cheese, and other herbs if you’d like as well.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and baked through. (Times may vary) Remove from the oven and slather with melted butter (optional, but delicious).
Repeat with the second loaf of bread.
ENJOY!!!!!
The herbs in the bread are filled with magickal properties that can attract/help with: Love, protection, purification, wealth, success, vitality, strength, and mental & physical longevity. I hope everyone is having a fantastic Wednesday and that all my beautiful witches are enjoying the supermoon night and use this event to cleanse your crystals, your house, and most of all, yourself. Use it to reflect, meditate and start anew.