White Bread

White Bread

This is an easy-to-handle, 2-loaf recipe:

1 package active dry yeast or 1 cake compressed yeast
1/4 cup water

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2 cups milk, scalded
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon shortening (I use butter and have also used canola oil--the same 1 tbsp.)

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6 to 6 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour (I never sift)

Soften the active dry yeast in warm water or compressed yeast in lukewarm water. Set aside. Combine hot milk (bring to nearly a boil and remove from heat), the sugar, salt, and shortening. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups of flour; beat well. Add the softened yeast; mix (I use my Kitchenaid). Add enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough (I usually get in a little less than 4 additional cups of flour...bringing the total to just less than 6. If I make it with wheat flour I am only able to get a total of 5 cups).

Turn out on a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and satiny (about 6-8 minutes). Shape into a ball; place in in lightly greased bowl (use a large one, and I always spray it with Pam), turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 1/2 hours).

Punch down. Let rise again until double (about 45 minutes). Cut into 2 portions (I put it on the counter for this and just cut with a large knife). Shape each into a smooth ball. Cover (I use the same large bowl); let rest 10 minutes. Shape into loaves*. Place into greased (I use Pam) loaf pans. Let rise until double (I cover with a clean, wet dish towel that I have used to cover the bowl throughout, but you can also cover loosely with plastic wrap)--about 1 hour. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F) for 35 minutes or until done (when you put them in the oven, make sure there is space between them, so that the hot air can circulate properly). Peek in oven after 15 minutes; if tops are browning too fast, cover loafs with foil. Brush tops with butter when done for soft, shiny crusts. Cook on cooling rack. Slices best when cool (but is delicious when fresh and hot).

*To shape loaf, flatten dough with rolling pin in a 15 x 7-inch rectangle (I do not measure mine, just eyeball it). Roll up like a jellyroll (start at narrow side), sealing at each turn with fingertips or edge of hand. Press down ends of loaf with sides of hands to make two thin sealed strips. Fold strips under loaf as you put it in the pan so bread will have smooth crusts at both ends.