I’ve always been a lover of fresh, hot white bread. I’m not talking about that gummy, mass produced stuff. I’m talking Mom’s fresh baked white bread, right out of the oven cooled just enough to cut a slab without burning your hands. I set out to make Mom’s old bread recipe, mined from the overflowing box of recipes I hold precious, just like she did…by hand.
We had a super tiny kitchen when I was growing up, and it’s a marvel to me how my mom, and eventually my dad, were able to make the things they did. I have a huge kitchen, with a giant island, and always feel like I need more space! Mom had an old avocado green hand mixer that she used for years. That poor thing had taken a beating by all us kids, resulting in bent beaters that clacked as they spun. She always started her bread with the hand mixer, but ultimately did the vast majority by hand, especially the kneading.
Machine Love
I, on the other hand, am “lazy” and invested in my first Kitchenaid Mix Master almost 20 years ago and I LOVE it! I remember a neighbor having one when I was growing up, and I was always fascinated by it. At the time, it was quite an investment for me. I was not long out of college and barely had two nickels to rub together. It took me quite a long time to save enough to invest the $300 for the basic model. Today, I’m on my third after putting the other two through the wringer. My next purchase (soon!) will definitely be a professional model, and “old blue” will be kept for light projects and using the attachments.
Anyway, I usually make dough with the Kitchenaid because it can do the kneading and I don’t break a sweat. Seriously, they’re a godsend if you like fresh dough, and do a great job kneading. Two cautions with using it to do your kneading though… First, make sure it’s on a sturdy surface. I attempted to use it on my spring-loaded Kitchenaid shelf I installed when I redesigned our kitchen. Only slight panic as I watched my shelf wobble and wiggle. Just what I needed…a broken shelf AND my Kitchenaid crashing onto my wood floor! That would not be pretty. Second, be sure to keep an eye and ear…and probably a nose…on it. If it’s sounding like it’s struggling, the dough hook is going slow compared to the speed setting, or….if it suddenly starts to smell like something’s burning…yeah, I burned out the motor on one of mine. OOPS!
Mom’s Old Recipe
I decided to only use my Kitchenaid for the beginning mix. Once the dough started coming together, I’d knead by hand….and knead I did. Roll, turn, push, and roll, time and time again, until my dough became a beautiful, soft and smooth ball ready for proofing. As I kneaded, I looked at my hands working the dough, and realized my hands are beginning to look like Mom’s, knuckles starting to raise and stand out thanks to arthritis.
More importantly, with each turn of the dough I thought of all the things I learned from Mom – strength, resilience, wisdom, and the many questions I still have about our family history. There just wasn’t enough time. As I battled back tears…part from missing my mom, and part from screaming unused muscles…I had to laugh. If Mom was here, would probably tell me I’m nuts to do it by hand!
A beautiful first rise!
This recipe might look familiar if you’re “into” making homemade bread. As I looked at Mom’s recipe, then looked at recipes in more current cookbooks and online, the ingredients really are the same. Just the quantities are different. Some include butter; some don’t. I think somewhere many, many moons ago someone’s mom came up with the perfect bread recipe that was pretty much no-fail. And, it’s stood the test of a long, long time.
Working with Yeast
As a reminder, make sure your yeast is fresh and your water tap water hot enough. If your yeast doesn’t bloom, your bread will fail. First, the water….the best way to get the right temperature of water is to simply run your hot water tap. When the tap is hot, measure your water. It’s perfect.
After second rise; ready to bake!
How do you know if it’s blooming? It’ll definitely smell like active yeast, and the water in which it’s blooming will turn an opaque light brown. When you add the sugar to the yeast/water mix, you should start to see some bubbling and the water will start to get a foam-like substance floating on the top. Yeast is a live ingredient, and its favorite food is sugar! Don’t freak out….this is exactly what’s supposed to happen!
White Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 C hot water tap water temperature
- 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/4 C granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 T butter soften to room temperature
- 2 1/2 C hot water additional, tap water temperature
- 8 C bread flour
- cooking spray or vegetable oil
Instructions
Bloom the Yeast
- In your mixer's bowl, dissolve yeast and 3/4 C hot water 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and stir on low using mixing paddle. Let sit for 5 minutes to give the yeast a chance to start blooming.
Make the Dough
- Add salt, softened butter and additional water to mixer bowl. Switch to dough hook. With your mixer on low, begin adding flour 1 cup at a time. When the dough begins to come together, stop machine. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until all the flour is well incorporated and the dough becomes soft and smooth, approximately 10 minutes. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, or swab with vegetable oil. Place kneaded dough into the bowl, and turn the dough so it's totally covered with a LIGHT layer of oil. Cover the bowl and place in a warm spot. Let rise until double in size, approximately 1-1.5 hours.
Making Loaves
- Generously spray two loaf pans. When dough is double in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into two pieces of equal size. Lightly flour a rolling pin. Working with one piece at a time, roll to about a 10"x12" rectangle. Tightly roll the dough from the short end, and pinch seam shut. Place seam side down into loaf pan. Repeat with second piece of dough. Place loaf pans in a warm spot and cover with a towel. Let rise to double in size, about 30 minutes.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 350°. Place loaf pans side by side on the lowest rack position in your oven, and bake 15 minutes. Check to make sure the crust isn't getting too brown. If it is, at this point tent aluminum foil over the top. Continue baking an additional 15 minutes. Bread will be done when you knock on it and it sounds solid, and the crust is warm golden brown. Immediately turn out of pan onto cooling rack to cool.
