There's nothing quite like homemade bread. That relaxed feeling you get from kneading the dough, the delicious smell of baking wafting through the house, and the sense of satisfaction you get from sharing your very own soft and chewy loaf with family and friends.
Bread has been around for millennia and was vital to the development of human societies. First made in the Middle East following the domestication of wheat, there is extensive evidence of bread-making in Ancient Egypt. The idea of a free-standing oven that could be pre-heated to bake bread seems to have originated with the Greeks. You might have an increased interest in baking right now. Baking bread, specifically, feels like a soothing, economical idea: You take just three ingredients and turn them into a hearty, versatile food. But, a simple loaf of crusty bread might be the most deceptively challenging baking project to tackle.