Homemade White Bread
1/2 c. warm water
4 tsp. yeast (or 2 packets)
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 3/4 c. cold water
2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. sugar
6+ c. flour
In large mixing bowl add yeast to water and stir. Heat milk and butter in microwave until butter is melted. Pour water and hot milk into yeast mixture at the same time. Add salt and sugar and mix well. If you are using a mixer with a dough hook place all 6 cups of flour in the mixer. Start mixer and once dough starts to wrap around hook, sprinkle in more flour. Just keep adding flour until dough starts to "clean" off the bowl. The trick is to make dough so it's NOT sticky to the touch, and if you stop the mixer and let it rest for a minute and restart it, it's done if the dough wraps right up around the hook again.
If mixing by hand, place 3 cups of flour in bowl and stir. Stir in as much of remaining flour as you can, then place dough on floured counter and knead in enough flour so that dough is elasticky (my word!) and not sticky to the touch.
When your dough is done, place in well greased large bowl and flip over so all sides are greased. Let rise in warm place at least 1 1/2 hours.............................
Dough after 1 1/2 hr. rise (mine fell a bit before I took the picture)..........
Punch dough down and place on floured counter. Divide into 2 large or 3 small pieces. Roll dough long and skinny (probably about 16" long by 7" wide). Roll up in loaf and tuck edges under so there are no loose edges.
Let rise about 30 min and then bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 min. (I bake mine for 22 min).
Immediately remove from pan on cooling rack and brush with butter. I place them in bread bags after about 5 min. and that softens the crust.
I realize you see 4 loaves here - I make 1 1/2 batches to keep this family in bread for a week!*******Tips I've learned***********
* water temperature is perfect if you run water over your wrist and basically can't feel it - just like a baby's bottle - body temp!
* sometimes I add raisins to one of the loaves - YUM!
* this dough works great for cinnamon rolls too!
* I use to use ONLY Robin Hood flour but I got tired of going to Canada, so now I go to Cash and Carry and get the brown label "MORBREAD" bag of flour - It's the only flour I use in my house and I love it.
* Once your family gets use to it - no more luxury of store bought bread :-)
* this bread makes the BEST grilled cheese and french toast EVER!!
Feel free to ask questions, I had plenty of training and will help where I can!
