White Bread
Delicious white bread - perfect for sandwiches, wonderful toasted
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.