Mastering the art of bread making is not for the faint of heart. Yeast is notoriously tricky and everything from your oven to the atmosphere can work against you. Starting with a simple versatile dough is a great way to get your hands (and kitchen) dusted with flour. One dough, an unassuming yeast dough, that when made as is, produces a light and fluffy white bread, but can also be easily modified into anything sweet or savory, from morning sticky buns to focaccia—the possibilities are endless. This dough has been around since the 1950s, gaining and losing popularity throughout the decades, and has almost as many names as possible variations, such as Universal Dough or Crazy Dough—I call it the One Dough Wonder. This simple recipe can turn any novice baker into a seasoned bread maker.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 80 g fresh yeast or 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 6 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups plain yogurt
- 2 whole eggs
Instructions
In a bowl, combine lukewarm milk with sugar and yeast. Set aside until the yeast activates, it will become frothy on top and start to expand. This should take around 15 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix yogurt and eggs until well combined.
Put the yeast mixture with all remaining ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low with a paddle attachment until completely homogenized.
Remove from mixer and gently knead for five to eight minutes, until a smooth ball is formed.
The dough should be pale and soft, like pizza dough. If the dough is too dry, not smooth and cracking, add a little bit of water. If too soft, not holding shape and very sticky, add a little bit of flour.
For immediate use, set aside at room temperature, covered with a towel for at least 60 minutes or up to one and half hours, this will allow time for the dough to relax and the yeast to rise. It should double in size.
Use dough for various preparations, sweet or savory. Once shaped into the desired form, allow to rise an additional 45 minutes covered with loose cling wrap or a tea towel.
The dough will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator, in a plastic freezer bag. It’s best to separate a full batch into three balls of dough.
