Making bread is an art that has been passed down through generations. It has traditionally always required yeast or baking powder to rise, but what if you don’t want the hassle of going out and buying yeast or baking powder? What if you’re vegan and can’t use yeast because it’s derived from animal products? This article will explore how to make bread without using any type of leavening agent at all!
Making bread without yeast or baking powder
This bread has a far superior flavor than commercially produced sourdough bread, as it is made without yeast or baking powder. However, producing your own sourdough takes a few days, but the end product is well worth the time investment.
Apart from the sourdough technique, there are many different, faster, and easier methods of making bred without yeast or baking powder.
Here are a few recipes to try if you want to make bread without yeast or baking powder.
Unleavened bread (Egg Matzah)
We’re familiar with unleavened foods from all around the world. This bread is flat and quick to prepare. It’s still delicious, and most people enjoy eating it. This bread may be sliced, cubed, or crumbled for a variety of applications.
The ingredients you need to make this bread include:
- ½ cup of honey
- 1 cup of cold water
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil
- One egg
- ½-1 teaspoon of salt
- 4-5 cups of all-purpose flour
Instructions;
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. You may also use a nonstick cooking spray or aluminum foil instead of parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, salt, water, and honey and mix them thoroughly. You may use melted butter or canola oil instead of olive oil. Before combining the ingredients, beat the egg with the mixing spoon. It will make it simpler for the yolk to merge into the rest of the mixture.
- Before adding the other ingredients, add a cup of flour at a time. Ensure to mix well to enough incorporate the flour thoroughly. After blending in at least 4 cups of flour, knead the flour until it forms a stiff and elastic dough.
- Divide the dough into two pieces with your hands. Then divide them into four quarters and three equal balls. You may also split the mixture into three or four parts before rolling it out flat and cutting it to size.
- Roll out each ball using a floured rolling pin. Before handling the dough, the hands should have some flour, cooking spray or oil.
- Poke even holes on the surface of each portion of dough using a regular fork. Do not leave more than 1-inch space in between rows. If the mixture is in large pieces, use a sharp knife to divide them into about 12 evenly sized rectangles.
- Place the portions of dough on the baking sheets and then sit them in a preheated oven. Bake until it is golden brown around the edges and the surface. Ensure it does not cook for too long otherwise, it will become hard and unpleasant.
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool. It is best to enjoy it while fresh. Store the food in a plastic bag for some days.
Lavash Bread
Lavash bread is a Middle Eastern flatbread that is popular in Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is made with flour, water, and salt, and it can be rolled out very thin. For the best results, always ensure to roll the dough out thinly.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients include:
- 2/3 cup of water
- One teaspoon of salt
- One teaspoon of caster sugar
- One egg white and two beaten
- 30g of melted butter
- Two tablespoons of sesame seeds
- 2 ½ cups of plain flour
Instructions for making Lavash bread:
- Preheat the oven to 420 degrees Fareinheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt, flour, and sugar. Next add water, melted butter, and one egg white to the mix. Knead for 5 minutes until everything is smooth.
- Divide the dough into ten balls and roll each on a surface with some flour until it is paper-thin. You can place them on a baking tray without oil. Then brush them with egg white and also sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- You can bake them in batches in the oven for 10-15 minutes until it is brown.
Cloud Bread:
It’s a low carb, gluten-free, and grain-free bread. It’s light and airy, almost like clouds. It contains only four components, but you may add herbs and spices to enhance the taste. Shredded cheese or bagel seasonings might be added to the mixture before baking. Garlic powder or onion powder may also be used.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
The cloud bread ingredients are:
- ¼ teaspoons of salt
- ¼ teaspoons of tartar
- Three tablespoons of softened cream cheese
- Three eggs, separated
Instructions;
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and then line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the cheese, salt, and egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add cream of tartar with egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer, and beat them until the eggs form stiff peaks.
- Fold the egg yolk mixture into egg whites and mix them well until no egg white streaks remain. Don’t use a mixer as it may remove the air whipped in by the egg whites.
- Divide the mixture using a large spoon into 12 even circles on the ready baking sheets. Bake until the surface turns golden brown. Then place the pieces of bread on a wire rack for them to cool.
- Once cool, seal them overnight on the counter. The bread will become soft and bread-like.
Bottom Line
With a few simple ingredients and some know-how, you can make bread that tastes just as good as anything from the bakery, even if you don’t have yeast or baking powder. Give these tips a try next time your stomach starts rumbling for something fresh. Who knows? You might find yourself with an unexpected new hobby!
