Easy English Recipes for Breads and Desserts

Introduction to Simple Baking

Baking doesn't have to be difficult. With the right recipes, even beginners can make delicious bread and desserts. Let's explore some easy recipes that you can try at home to delight your taste buds and impress your friends!

Easy Bread Recipes

Here are three simple bread recipes that require minimal ingredients and steps:

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• ¹⁄₃ cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• ³⁄₄ cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups of all-purpose flour

Steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.
3. Mix in the baking soda and salt. Add the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
4. Mix in the flour, being careful not to overmix.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
6. Bake for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.

📝 Note: Make sure your bananas are very ripe. The darker, the better, as they provide more flavor to the bread.

Flatbread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ³⁄₄ cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Steps:

1. In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Gradually add water and oil, stirring until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes until smooth.
3. Divide the dough into 6 pieces, roll each piece into a thin flatbread.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each flatbread for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned and puffy.
5. Serve warm with your favorite dips or toppings.

📝 Note: These flatbreads are great for wraps or as a base for quick pizzas.

Easy Dessert Recipes

Now, let's dive into desserts that are straightforward to make:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons hot water
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until smooth.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to the dough, along with the salt. Mix in flour gradually, then fold in chocolate chips.
5. Drop large spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

📝 Note: For extra chewy cookies, take them out of the oven when they look slightly underdone; they'll continue cooking on the tray.

Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 2 eggs, separated
• ¹⁄₄ cup sugar
• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 24-30 ladyfingers
• 3 tablespoons Kahlua or another coffee liqueur (optional)

Steps:

1. In a bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gradually adding half the sugar until stiff.
2. In another bowl, beat mascarpone, egg yolks, and the remaining sugar until smooth.
3. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.
4. Mix coffee and liqueur (if using).
5. Dip ladyfingers in coffee mixture and layer them in a serving dish.
6. Spread half of the mascarpone mix over the ladyfingers, then repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers and the rest of the mascarpone mix.
7. Dust the top with cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

📝 Note: For an alcohol-free version, simply omit the liqueur or use a coffee syrup instead.

In Conclusion

Simple recipes like these provide an excellent starting point for anyone interested in baking. They prove that you don’t need a plethora of ingredients or fancy equipment to create tasty treats. By keeping recipes simple, you’re more likely to enjoy the process and the results, encouraging further baking adventures. Whether you’re baking a loaf of banana bread, making flatbreads for dinner, or indulging in cookies or Tiramisu, remember that practice and a dash of creativity can take you far in the culinary world.

Can I make these recipes vegan?

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Yes, you can adapt many of these recipes for a vegan diet. For example, use plant-based milk instead of egg in banana bread, replace butter with vegan margarine or coconut oil in cookies, and use silken tofu or coconut cream in Tiramisu.

What if I don’t have all the ingredients listed?

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Most recipes are forgiving. You can often substitute or omit ingredients. For instance, if you’re out of brown sugar, increase the amount of white sugar slightly and add a tablespoon of molasses for cookies.

Can I freeze these baked goods?

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Absolutely! Banana bread, flatbreads, cookies, and Tiramisu can all be frozen. Just wrap them well to prevent freezer burn and defrost at room temperature when ready to eat.