This small batch of 2 medium size Parmesan Bread for two comes so quickly, you can have this in no time for dinner. This bread is so soft and the parmesan cheese gave a really nice taste to the bread. There is no need to be scared, this recipe is simple, easy and a good start for yeast bread making. Check it out!

Freshly baked homemade bread is worth it, trust me. I’m serious, hear me out. I had been baking for more than 13 years now, and the last thing that I expect is for me to fall in love in making homemade bread. I used to be scared of homemade yeast bread, just the thought of it made me shy away from making bread. But you know, we all fear what we don’t know. When I started learning how to make homemade bread, little by little I find myself drawn to it more than I expected. In fact, if I am to choose one category that I would love to focus on, the would be homemade bread. I’ve done quite a lot of bread variations using lean dough and rich dough and I love both of them. Lean dough is low in sugar and fat, the likes of French and Italian bread, pizza dough, baguette or no knead artisan bread. Other times I make bread using rich dough. Rich dough are bread that are higher in fat and sugar and often times contain eggs and milk. Because they are richer, they have a softer crust or texture (the likes of cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, hot cross buns, etc.).

This Parmesan Bread uses a rich dough, more fat, more flavor. I used butter and cheese to give it not only soft texture but a rich delicious tasting bread. This maybe a small batch of 2, but this is definitely big in flavor and taste. I wouldn’t blame you if you would want for a bigger batch. I love breadmaking so much that I don’t mind making small batch of 2 bread, it is always worth it. Plus, since homemade bread do not use any preservatives, making a small batch that you can consume quickly is often a better idea than making a big batch and having it sit around to be eaten. Homemade bread tends to have shorter shelflife and it is always best to serve it the day it was made, even more fresh hot from the oven.

How to Make Parmesan Bread

This is a small batch recipe for two. You might be asking why go through the hassle of making a bread that only serves two. Well because it is really not a hassle making this bread. You only need about 1 hour and 36 minutes, it is that easy. You get fresh bread every time you want one and there is no need to rush out to get one because you can make it from home. Here is a quick summary on what you can expect to do to make this bread. The details are in the instructions section

• Activate the Yeast – 10 minutes
• Make the Bread Dough – 10 minutes
• First Rest Period – 30 minutes
• Shape the Dough – 5 minutes
• Second Rest Period – 45 minutes
• Bake – 15 – 18 minutes
• Cool – 8 minutes

Different Ways to Use This Bread 🥯 Dough

This bread though is very versatile. I’ve used this in different was several times already and it never failed me. You can use it as burger buns, dinner rolls, hotdog buns or mini pull-apart rolls. The latest one I used this with is to make a simple Parmesan Buns like this one. Divided it into 2 portions which came out really huge. I rolled the dough in Parmesan Cheese and add a generous topping of more Parmesan cheese. What makes this different is the extra Parmesan topping, such a treat to have that extra cheese on top. I ate this as is or even use it for sandwich bread and burger 🍔 buns. It’s definitely not your usual burger buns, but in a good way. Give this variation a try too, you will love it. You can also make it in smaller portions, divide the dough into 4 like the size of dinner rolls, and top with Parmesan cheese. I’ll post this next time I make this as well.

Tips for a Successful Soft Homemade Bread

• Liquid Temperature – Yeast grows in temperature between 105 – 110F, so its important to have the water that you are using to “proof” it in this range. If you go lower or higher, the yeast might not proof properly. That means the bread will not rise as much, resulting to a flat and tough bread.
• Check Yeast Expiry a Date – you might be wondering how come the bread did not rise when you followed exactly the recipe. Well, first thing first, make sure the yeast is not yet expired. Expired yeast is the common reason for flat and dense bread. If your bread did not expand or rise during the rest period, it is most likely that the yeast is not fresh or the water temperature is too hot or cold.
• Amount of Yeast – Just because you want a tall bread doesn’t mean you have to put as much yeast in the mixture. Sometimes adding too much yeast can cause the bread to collapse during the rest period. Just imagine putting more air than what is needed in a balloon, the balloon will explode. The same case with bread.
• Right Type of Yeast – We’ve discussed the 3 types of yeast above. Make sure to use the right one for your recipe, and make necessary adjustments if you want to swap one from another.
• Rest Period – Yeast bread needs time to rise. There are bread that uses less yeast but requires more rest time, the likes of No Knead Bread or Artisan Bread which usually require 8- 16 hours rest period to get the volume and to develop the flavor. There are 1 hour bread like my Rosemary Dinner Rolls which used this same bread dough. The point is, give it time to rest, don’t touch it just leave it in a warm place. The first rest period will normally tell you if your dough is good or not. If it rise and almost double in size, then your on the right track.
• Expiration and Quality of the Flour – The quality of the flour greatly affect the texture of the bread. All-purpose flour could differ from country to country although they are all called as all-purpose flour. Sometimes it depends on the brand too. The closer the flour to expiration date or if it is already expired, the flour could tend to be drier, which means it would require more liquid than mentioned in the recipe. This is a common issue of way sometimes the dough tend to be tough and dry. This is why sometimes you have to add few more tablespoon from the suggested flour measurement to get the right texture. The dough should be soft, smooth and elastic. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour until it is no longer to sticky to handle. If it is too dry, a small amount of liquid helps provide moisture to the dough. A clean side of the bowl, with the dough slightly sticking at the bottom, a soft, smooth and elastic dough is what You are aiming for.

How do I Know if I Made the Bread Dough Correctly?

• Activating the Yeast –  This is the first thing that you should get right, otherwise do NOT proceed. After 5 – 10 minutes you should see a foam forms on top of the water, this is an indication that the yeast is alive. If you do not get this, either the yeast is old or the liquid temperature is too hot or cold. The temperature should be 100F, lukewarm but not hot.
• Clean Bowl After Kneading – The sides of the bowl should be clean, while the bottom is slightly sticking to the dough. This means that amount of liquid to the flour is correct. Enough to make a clean bowl and still make a slightly wet dough.
• Soft Dough – Soft dough means the amount of flour to liquid is enough. Too much flour could make the bread dense and heavy, and too much liquid could make it too wet. Both will affect how the bread rise in the rest period. Try to push your fingers in the dough, it should leave a “dimple” on the dough and should gradually disappear.
• Smooth Dough Surface – Again, this is a sign of correct flour to liquid ratio. A “bumpy” surface could mean that the dough is dry and tough.
• Elastic Dough – A soft dough is usually elastic. If your dough is dry and tough, it wouldn’t be as elastic when you pull it apart.
• First Rest Period – The dough should almost double in size. This is a sign that the activation of the yeast work which is crucial to making a soft and fluffy bread. This also means the yeast is alive (not yet expired) and the liquid temperature is correct. I always use baking thermometer to check the temperature of the liquid.
• Second Rest Period – The bread dough should be really puff up. This is crucial and the final state of the bread before baking. If you are able to make it puff-up, that is a good sign that there are air trapped inside which will make the bread fluffy.

Why is My Dough too Wet or too Dry?

Don’t get frustrated if your dough did not turn out immediately as what you see in the photo or video. Most likely It is not because you did not follow the recipe. When it comes to bread making, the amount of flour and liquid is not always 100% precise. This is why often times you will encounter recipes that says, if your dough is dry, add a bit more liquid. If your dough is too wet, add a little bit more flour. This instructions are not meant to confuse you, they are meant to guide you on how to adjust as you work through your dough. The reason for this is that  although the measurement of water and flour are specified in the recipe, it still could slightly vary depending on many factors. For instance, all-purpose flour could very from country to country, or even from brand to brand. Don’t be surprise if you find that some brand tends to require a bit more liquid as the others. On top of this, the amount of liquid is also affected by the state of your flour. How old is the flour that you are using? Older flour nearing expiry tends to be drier and this requires more liquid. Humidity also affects baking. The more humid it is, the more likely the dough will be sticky and wet. Bread making requires patience, and practice. Once you learn how to feel the right texture of the dough, everything will be quick and easy. You can instantly tell if you need to add more water or flour to get the dough in right state.

Ingredients:

Yeast Mixture

• 1/3 cup Water or Milk (110F) (tap water microwaved for 20 seconds)
• 1/2 teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated White Sugar

Flour Mixture

• 2 tablespoon unsalted Butter – slightly melted (microwaved 30 seconds)
• 3/4 cup Bread Flour 
• 2 teaspoon granulated Sugar (Divided: 1/2 teaspoon for the yeast, the rest for the flour)
• 1/4 teaspoon table Salt
• 3 tablespoon powdered Parmesan Cheese (Divided: 2 tablespoon for the dough and 1 tablespoon for the toppings)
• Eggwash (optional) – 1 beaten egg +  1 teaspoon water

Instructions:

1. Activate the Yeast: Pour the warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and yeast in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes or until bubbly.
2. Wet Ingredients: Add melted butter and mix just to combine.
3. Dry Ingredients: Add the bread flour, sugar and salt and using the paddle attachment, mix until just combined but still sticky and uneven.
4. Ad Parmesan Cheese: Add 2 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and change to dough hook and continue mixing until combined. Raise the mixer speed to medium and kneed for about 15 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic, but soft and slightly sticky.
5. First Rest Period: Spray a medium size bowl with oil. Transfer the bread dough. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes in a warm place. If you have time, you can leave it as long as 1 hour.
6. Portion and Shape the Dough: Take the dough out of the bowl and divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions. Shape into a ball or oblong shape. Roll each portion in remaining parmesan cheese. Arrange in a parchment line baking sheet, leave at least 2-inches apart.
7. Second Rest Period: Cover and let sit for 30 – 45 minutes (or until puff up) in a warm place. The bread will puff-up and expand.
8. Bake at 350F for 15 – 18 minutes. Check at 15 minutes rotate the pan or cover the top with aluminium foil if the top is browning fast.
9. Cool transfer in a cooling rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving

Makes 2 – 3 pieces

Recipe Notes:

1. This is a small bread which makes it doable to make without and electric mixer. Use a large bowl to mix the ingredients and manually knead the dough in a floured surface until it comes together.

Enjoy! If you make this, share and tag me in Instagram #SweetNSpicyLiving. I would like to see your creations too.

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