michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
Does anyone still bake white bread? My boys love this bread for sandwiches. It holds up well when stacked with meat, cheese and lettuce, and is a fairly simple bread to put together.
My notes follow. I've simplified this recipe even more.
Sister Virginia's Daily Loaf
Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees) , plus 1 cup water
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
7 cups bread or all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
2 medium loaf pans, greased
In a small bowl or cup dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to dissolve and set aside. Warm the milk in a large saucepan and add the sugar, salt, and butter. Add one cup water. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir together with a large wooden spoon.
Pour in 3 cups flour and beat for 3 minutes with the flat beater on your mixer. The batter will be smooth. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, working the dough until it cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Knead 8 minutes with the dough hook on your mixer. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out and knead briefly to press out any gas bubbles, and divide into 2 equal pieces. With your hands, press the ball of dough into an oblong piece the length of the pan. Fold lengthwise and pinch the seam together. Turn the dough over, seam down, and tuck in the ends. Drop into the prepared pan and push down with the fingers to fill the corners. Repeat with the second piece.
Cover the pans and leave until dough has doubled in bulk, the center slightly above the edge of the pan, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees 20 minutes before baking.
Brush the dough with melted butter, and place on the lower oven shelf. Bake until the crust is a golden brown and the loaves are loose in their pans, about 40 minutes. Thump the bottom crust with the forefinger. A hard hollow sound means the bread is baked. The bottom crust will also be nicely browned.
Remove the bread from the oven and turn the loaves onto a metal cooling rack. This bread freezes well.
MY NOTES:
I use a different method. I start with 3 cups of flour in my stand mixer bowl. Add the dry yeast (I ALWAYS use Rapid Rise!) and mix. Warm the milk and add the salt, sugar and lard (I use shortening). As it warms, add 1 1/4 cups water. When it reaches 120 degrees to 125 degrees on a digital thermometer, take it off the heat. Start the mixer with the flat blade beater on low and slowly pour the warm liquid into the flour/yeast mixture. Once the liquid is mixed into the flour, turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Proceed as directed, adding the flour 1/4 cup at a time. I end up using just 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 cups of flour. It doesn't dry out in the oven that way.
When you punch down the dough after the first rise, consider not being too rough with it. Press out most of the big bubbles, but let the dough retain some of its puffiness as you put it into the loaf pans. I get a better second rise that way.
Allow the bread dough to rise at least 1 inch above the edges of the pans before baking.
Enjoy!
Michael
My notes follow. I've simplified this recipe even more.
Sister Virginia's Daily Loaf
Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees) , plus 1 cup water
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
7 cups bread or all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
2 medium loaf pans, greased
In a small bowl or cup dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to dissolve and set aside. Warm the milk in a large saucepan and add the sugar, salt, and butter. Add one cup water. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir together with a large wooden spoon.
Pour in 3 cups flour and beat for 3 minutes with the flat beater on your mixer. The batter will be smooth. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, working the dough until it cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Knead 8 minutes with the dough hook on your mixer. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Turn the dough out and knead briefly to press out any gas bubbles, and divide into 2 equal pieces. With your hands, press the ball of dough into an oblong piece the length of the pan. Fold lengthwise and pinch the seam together. Turn the dough over, seam down, and tuck in the ends. Drop into the prepared pan and push down with the fingers to fill the corners. Repeat with the second piece.
Cover the pans and leave until dough has doubled in bulk, the center slightly above the edge of the pan, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees 20 minutes before baking.
Brush the dough with melted butter, and place on the lower oven shelf. Bake until the crust is a golden brown and the loaves are loose in their pans, about 40 minutes. Thump the bottom crust with the forefinger. A hard hollow sound means the bread is baked. The bottom crust will also be nicely browned.
Remove the bread from the oven and turn the loaves onto a metal cooling rack. This bread freezes well.
MY NOTES:
I use a different method. I start with 3 cups of flour in my stand mixer bowl. Add the dry yeast (I ALWAYS use Rapid Rise!) and mix. Warm the milk and add the salt, sugar and lard (I use shortening). As it warms, add 1 1/4 cups water. When it reaches 120 degrees to 125 degrees on a digital thermometer, take it off the heat. Start the mixer with the flat blade beater on low and slowly pour the warm liquid into the flour/yeast mixture. Once the liquid is mixed into the flour, turn the mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Proceed as directed, adding the flour 1/4 cup at a time. I end up using just 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 cups of flour. It doesn't dry out in the oven that way.
When you punch down the dough after the first rise, consider not being too rough with it. Press out most of the big bubbles, but let the dough retain some of its puffiness as you put it into the loaf pans. I get a better second rise that way.
Allow the bread dough to rise at least 1 inch above the edges of the pans before baking.
Enjoy!
Michael