Basic Vegan Bread Recipes

Easy Drop Bread:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Sift flour and baking soda into large mixing bowl. Add water till it makes a stiff, sticky dough. Add Vegetable oil. Drop spoonfuls on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes.

Biscuits:

2 cups flour
1 cup crisco or other hard shortening
1 cup ice water
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

Use a table knife or pastry cutter to cut shortening, flour and baking powder together till it has the texture of bread crumbs. Add small amounts of water at a time till it makes a soft dough. Turn out on a floured board, and knead briefly; just enough to create a ball that has a floury surface that will not stick to a rolling pin. Roll out and cut into squares or use a biscuit cutter to cut into circles. Place on greased baking sheet, and bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes, or till lightly browned. The key to making good biscuits is minimal handling after the water has been added. Long kneading or stirring after that stage will cause the biscuits to be hard instead of light and flaky.

Yeast Bread:

1 pint warm water (around 110F)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons or one packet bakers yeast
4-8 cups of flour

Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil, salt, sugar and yeast. Stir lightly till the yeast dissolves making the water look cloudy. Add flour a cup at a time till it makes a soft dough that sheets off the spoon. Continue stirring for a couple of minutes to help develop the gluten. Cover the bowl, and let the yeast rise. This process will take 1-4 hours depending on the room temperature, the strength of the yeast, or other ambient conditions. When the dough has filled the bowl and started pushing off the lid, turn the mixture into a larger bowl with wide, sloped sides that has been prepared by putting two or three cups of flour in the bottom of the bowl. Knead in flour till the dough forms a soft ball. Leave to rise again. When it has finished rising the second time, punch the dough down and knead for several minutes. Form into dinner rolls, loaves or fancy shapes. Place on bread pans, cookie sheet or into a loaf pan as desired. Let rise one last time, till the dough has doubled in size. Place in a cold oven, Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, checking periodically. Bread should be done when lightly browned.

These are the three basic bread types. Variations may be achieved by using different flours or combinations of flour. Yeast bread requires the wheat gluten to develop its characteristic texture. Rice flour is much finer than wheat, and produces a more delicate product. Rye and whole wheat flours tend to be much heavier and require more leavening.