The name of this bread was so intriguing that I just had to make it – Red-and-Yellow Bread from The New Basics Cookbook by the same authors of the famous The Silver Palate Cookbook. The Silver Palate Cookbook was a staple for 1980’s cooks and brought a whole new dimension to home cooking.
The red and yellow in the title of the recipe supposedly comes from the cayenne and egg yolks that are used, although the bread doesn’t actually end up red or yellow in color at all.
The cayenne gives it just barely a kick, so I’d probably use more next time and maybe some herbs to dress it up a little. It did make a really pretty loaf of bread, though!
The dough was easy to throw together and was nice to work with. I like this recipe because it only makes one loaf. It seems like most bread recipes make 2 loaves and I really don’t prefer to freeze homemade yeast bread. It just doesn’t seem the same after thawed.
We made grilled cheese sandwiches and this bread gave them a different texture and really soaked up that butter nicely. I did find (like most homemade breads) it’s best the first day or two, then the texture coarsened a bit. I would definitely make this bread again. We both have enjoyed it!
Red-and-Yellow White Bread (is that an oxymoron?) is a good, sturdy bread recipe that is best the first day or two.
Red-And-Yellow White Bread
Crusty outside, soft inside. Makes a nice sandwich bread and great toast!
Ingredients
- 1 pkg active dry yeast
- 1/2 C warm water (about 110°)
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 3 C all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 5 to 6 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Stir the yeast, warm water, and sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside and let the yeast start foaming, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the flour, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, butter, egg yolks, and enough of the milk to form a mass of fairly sticky dough. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it until it's smooth and elastic, about 7-8 minutes. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle it lightly with more flour as you knead.
- Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a large bowl and turn the dough ball into it and coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- Spray a 9x5x3" loaf pan. Punch the dough down and shape it into a loaf. Press it into the prepared pan. Cover it loosely and let the dough rise until it nearly fills the pan, for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Bake the bread until it is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 30-35 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store in a loose plastic bag with tie wrap or bread box.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
Next time I will add another tablespoon of sugar, another quarter teaspoon of cayenne, and possibly some dried herbs.
My bread was done in 30 minutes. Don't over bake it!
This makes a crusty loaf with soft interior. If you want a softer top crust, brush milk over the top of the dough before baking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 slices Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g
Nutrition Values are Approximate