How to Make Homemade Bread in a Can

Whisk or sift 5 1⁄2 cups of regular or whole wheat flour together, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the yeast mixture, another cup of warm water, and two tablespoons of olive, canola, or vegetable oil. Either on an electric mixer, with a spoon or a dough hook attachment, gently mix until the dough is just coming together. If it seems too dry, add more water. Conversely, more flour may be added, if it seems too wet.

Sprinkle the flour on a flat surface then knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes. To knead, simply fold the dough and repeatedly press with the hand’s heel. Kneading is an essential process that helps to grow the proteins of gluten in bread which gives bread its texture and elasticity. It also helps remove any bubbles in the air even for baking.

Place the ball of dough in a bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave it at room temperature to proof until it doubles in size, around one to two hours. Upon rising, knead for another two to three minutes, cover, and let stand for ten minutes.

Shape the dough to fill a slightly greased BPA free can — for more than one loaf, there will be enough dough. Allow dough to proof for a second time, about twenty to thirty minutes. Preheat oven to 450° F once again when it has doubled in size. Brush with egg wash or water to the top, then bake for 25 to 35 minutes.

Once it has a golden brown top, the bread is finished and sounds hollow when tapped. Allow it to cool before removing, slice and enjoy!

So why go through the trouble of making homemade bread? Apart from the fact it tastes fresher, it could also save some money. The average bread price for a single pound loaf is around $1-2.00. The price of this recipe is around $0.50 depending on the ingredients that have been selected to use and has only six ingredients. A one-pound loaf of white bread can cost as little as $1.00 but may have as many ingredients as double. It requires a bit more time to make bread, but the entire process requires only about half an hour of active baking.

Baking bread in a can also has several benefits, rather than a loaf pan. First, it creates less of a crust — perfect for younger children who seem to despise the crispy exterior (or picky adults!) of bread. Secondly, for the environmental impact recycling cans have. Approximately half of recyclable cans are thrown into the garbage which requires the creation of new materials to make more. The process of making new metal for cans is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses, and needs a great deal of energy. This can be easily reduced through recycling of old materials, which can be done almost unlimited times. It may seem like a little thing to do, but when you add up, repurposing cans can actually make a difference.

Never tasted so good at saving money and the environment — making bread in a can is an easy and delicious way to achieve both!

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