# Bread recipes WITHOUT milk?



## vegascowgirl (Sep 19, 2004)

Those who know me, know that I am really into 1800's and earlier history of living. Well, I just was thinking last night that not all families had milk...especially while travelling (i.e on the oregon trail, etc). Yet so much of meals were made up of bread of one type or another. Almost EVERY bread/biscuit recipe I have calls for milk of one sort or another. SOO. Does anyone have any bread/roll/biscuit etc. recipes that do not call for milk?


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Per loaf:

1.5 cups water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp granular yeast

Warm water to approx 115 degrees (slightly hotter than lukewarm) and mix in sugar and yeast. Set aside.

Mix together:

4 cups flour (any kind, but must be at least 1/2 wheat flour for gluten content)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil (you can skip this, but it stays fresher, longer)

Mix and then add frothy yeast mixture. Knead until soft and satiny -- 10 - 12 minutes. Proof, covered, in a greased bowl. Form into a loaf and rise again in greased pan. Glaze top with beaten egg yolk if you like -- bake at 400F for approximately 35 minutes -- or until it sounds hollow when tapped firmly.


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## neolady (Dec 30, 2005)

I never use milk or milk powder in my bread. Just substitute your regular bread recipe milk with water - that's all I do. My mom usually does not use milk in her bread recipes either.


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

This is wonderful! I've looked for something like this myself for awhile now. I really appreciate it! Does anyone know how to replace yeast with sourdough? Do you just need more flour for the added moisture to make the dough the right consistency?


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Records go back to ancient egypt (and Rome afterwards) of bread being made with beer. (their bear was a lot different than ours, but basically it's the same underneath...grain fermented). 

You can make flatbread types without yeast, even. just flour and water and a little fat, basically.

search for a general recipe for any "french bread". no milk, just water.

as to the idea they didn't have milk...some did, some didn't. There are a number of records showing the pioneers (or people who went west in covered wagons, if you prefer) took along their milk cows. often with a calf at her side. And if you consider it only takes a few cups of milk to make a LOT of bread, 1 cow for a wagon train would probably suffice.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Vashti said:


> This is wonderful! I've looked for something like this myself for awhile now. I really appreciate it! Does anyone know how to replace yeast with sourdough? Do you just need more flour for the added moisture to make the dough the right consistency?


I would try a sourdough recipe first. I don't think it is that simple. I made sourdough for a long time year's ago. If I remember, it is relatively like yeast bread, but you use the sourdough starter instead of the yeast. I don't think they are interchangeable - straight across anyway.


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## LamiPub (Nov 10, 2006)

neolady said:


> I never use milk or milk powder in my bread. Just substitute your regular bread recipe milk with water - that's all I do. My mom usually does not use milk in her bread recipes either.


same here. I usually just use water but sometimes I throw in a little powdered milk or whole milk. From what I was told a little milk and honey helped the bread keep longer but not sure where I heard that and if it is true or not.


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## MariaAZ (Jun 5, 2007)

I second the sourdough suggestion. Carl Griffiths' Oregon Trail Sourdough page has a lot of information on sourdough bread. I got a starter from them and it's been doing pretty well. I really should make some and let that starter in the fridge do a little work


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

I've been making sourdough bread for a few years now, and only just recently learned to make yeast breads too. I'd like to be able to just interchange them though, if that is at all possible. There are a lot of recipes for both, but if I could know that I need to follow steps xyz to convert a yeast bread recipe to sourdough, that's really what I'd like to have!


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

I think it is helpful to just break down the components of bread. 

You need liquid-which could be milk of any kind; cow, goat, whole, skim, powdered, buttermilk or water, can also use the water from boiling potatoes. If you want to be really decadent, try cream or half and half. You can also try mixing small amounts of yogurt, sour cream, or ricotta cheese with your liquid.

You need yeast or sourdough starter in varying amounts, more makes it rise faster, but less works if you have time. You can use this to your advantage by using less and letting it rise overnight if you want hot, fresh bread in the morning.

You need a sweetener, which can be white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, mollasses, again more makes it rise faster, less slower.

You need salt- not much to substitute there unless you want to try sea salt over table salt.

You can use a fat- which might be any kind of oil, shortening, lard or melted butter or margarine

You need flour- white, wheat, rye,oat, corn, rice, and various brans and germs can be added for variety. 

Grated cheese, herbs, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, or leftover mashed potatoes, are also good.

And that is about it for bread. Using a basic recipe you can tweak it any way you like. And even if you don't have 100% success, even bad homemade bread is better than store bought bread!


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## Vashti (Dec 22, 2006)

Thank you, Melissa for that breakdown. It is very helpful. I've known that those are the basic ingredients, but having it written out like that puts it in perspective. I think I'm going to experiment a little bit and see what I get.


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

Here is a basic Amish white bread recipe:

1 pkg dry yeast (about 2 tsp if you are using bulk)
2 1/2 cups warm water (warm is the key word)
1/3 cup sugar ( I think this is a bit too much, but most Amish recipes are sweet)
2 tsp salt (you do need salt, keeps the yeast from overworking)
2 1/2 tablespoons melted shortening (I never use shortening actually)
6-7 cups of flour (sometimes this depends on humidity, more humid-more flour)

Just use this as a starting point and make some subsitutions. As you gain experience, you will learn what works well and what doesn't. My only caution, rye does not rise very well. I have fed my kids bread that would qualify as bricks before I learned to cut the rye with white flour and add extra yeast.


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2008)

The only things you MUST have to make bread is flour, water, and yeast either in the form of store yeast or some sort of natural leavener (sourdough, barm, etc.). You don't even have to have salt though without it the bread tastes rather cardboardy to me (don't ask me how I know this).

I like to put milk in my bread, but it can certainly be made without it. Especially if you're going to eat it all in the first two days or so.

.....Alan.


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## cnvh (Jun 11, 2008)

http://http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-12-01/Easy-No-Knead-Dutch-Oven-Crusty-Bread.aspx

Easiest bread recipe ever-- and it makes an astoundingly good loaf of bread. 

3 C flour (white, wheat, or any combination thereof)
1 1/2 C warm water
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt

Occasionally I'll add some fresh herbs, play around with milling different grains to substitute with the plain flour... either way, it makes a loaf that would make Panera Bread jealous.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

You can also add some bean flour to your bread recipe. It gives a softer texture to the bread. Hmmm, amounts.... I am notorious for not measuring. I'd make 5 loaves at a time and add in maybe 2 or 3 scoops of bean flour. Heaping scoops... so maybe a scoop = about a cup? Soybean flour is good, but you can grind up any kind of bean. I've used pinto, too. Couldn't tell the difference.


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## vegascowgirl (Sep 19, 2004)

Thanks to all who have posted. You're great!


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Gosh! I'm too cheap to use milk products in bread (unless they need to be used up). I just substitute other liquids--usually water. Water is used in french bread recipes


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## CountryCabin (Mar 8, 2007)

I follow what my mom did many years ago. When she boiled potatoes, she drained and keep the water for use in her bread. It would always be saved and put in a canning jar, until she baked the next time. 
Now sometimes, I add a little bit of potato in with the potato water. I just mash it, as it adds a touch more flavor.
Back then in the depression they found a use for most everything. 
I wish she was still here to talk about those times. We could learn so much from them.


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## deb (Jul 27, 2002)

Adding salt to bread dough is a way to control the growth of the yeast. Too much salt keeps the dough from rising, using very little salt means the yeast will be much more active.

deb
in wi


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

I do use potato water when I have it also. I always hate to just dump that water down the drain, it must have some nutrients in it. I also use leftover mashed potatoes, just blend them in before you add the flour, I am not much of a measurer, but just about any amount up to a cup will do. I am going to edit my main post to add this.


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## Melissa (Apr 15, 2002)

Lots of good ideas on this thread. I guess I just don't want to search for dozens of bread recipes. Once you get a basic idea in your head of how to put bread together, you can mix and match on your own. The combinations are endless and as long as you have the basics, the result will almost always be edible! 

Try a bread with grated cheese and dried onion, or honey and oats, or butter and cinnamon, or mashed potatoes and Italian herbs, or buttermilk and dill. There are so many things to try.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

can of beer, 3 tbl sugar, 3 c. self rising flour...wonderful toast. I do make your own self rising w/whole wheat flour.


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