Clayton Jr's THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREADS cookbook:
Feather Bread
(Author's comments: Feather light precisely describes feather bread. My 16-in-long loaf, with an ample girth of 12 inches, weights only one or two ounces more than 1 pound. I use bread flour which gives it even greater volume than the usual all-purpose flour.
Feather bread has the looks and texture of a French loaf, but it is a little richer and sweeter. The bread has a golden crisp crust, brushed beforehand with nothing but slightly beaten egg white. It is best eaten fresh although it can be frozen as soon as it is cool and put away in the deep freeze for a party occasion months hence with admirable results.)
Ingredients:
6 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
2 packages dry yeast
2 cups hot tap water (120 to 130 degrees F.)
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon EACH sugar and salt
Glaze: 1 egg white, slightly beaten
One baking sheet, greased or Teflon-coated.
Preparation 20 minutes: In a large mixing bowl measure 3 cups of flour and add the dry yeast.
In another bowl combine 2 cups water, butter, sugar and salt. Pour this slowly into the dry ingredients and blend at low speed in the electric mixer for 30 seconds, or use a wooden spoon to stir together. Add additional 1 cup of flour and beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and add flour, a 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft mass is formed.
Kneading 8 minutes: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (5 minutes with a dough hook in an electric mixer). The dough will be warm and alive under your hands.
Resting 15 minutes: Invert the bowl over the dough and let it rest.
Shaping 15 minutes: Knead for 30 seconds to flatten the dough and press out the air bubbles. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll each into a 12x15-inch rectangle. From the short side, roll into a tight loaf--pinching together at the seam and ends. Place on the baking sheet.
Rising 1-1/4 hours: Cover the loaves with wax paper and put in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until light and doubled in volume.
Baking 425 degrees, 35 minutes: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush loaves with beaten egg white and bake untiil they are light and shiny brown. Turn a loaf over and tap the bottom crust with a forefinger. A hard hollow sound means the bread is baked.
Final Step: Remove from the oven and place on a metal rack to cool. Because of the 1/3 cup of butter in the dough, this bread, unlike a French or Italian bread, will keep for several days wrapped in foil or plastic. This is a great barbecue bread.
Caryn's notes: I line the baking sheet with parchment paper before putting the loaves on it, and I bake this bread at 400 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 190 to 195 degrees F.
Feather Bread
(Author's comments: Feather light precisely describes feather bread. My 16-in-long loaf, with an ample girth of 12 inches, weights only one or two ounces more than 1 pound. I use bread flour which gives it even greater volume than the usual all-purpose flour.
Feather bread has the looks and texture of a French loaf, but it is a little richer and sweeter. The bread has a golden crisp crust, brushed beforehand with nothing but slightly beaten egg white. It is best eaten fresh although it can be frozen as soon as it is cool and put away in the deep freeze for a party occasion months hence with admirable results.)
Ingredients:
6 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
2 packages dry yeast
2 cups hot tap water (120 to 130 degrees F.)
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon EACH sugar and salt
Glaze: 1 egg white, slightly beaten
One baking sheet, greased or Teflon-coated.
Preparation 20 minutes: In a large mixing bowl measure 3 cups of flour and add the dry yeast.
In another bowl combine 2 cups water, butter, sugar and salt. Pour this slowly into the dry ingredients and blend at low speed in the electric mixer for 30 seconds, or use a wooden spoon to stir together. Add additional 1 cup of flour and beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and add flour, a 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft mass is formed.
Kneading 8 minutes: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (5 minutes with a dough hook in an electric mixer). The dough will be warm and alive under your hands.
Resting 15 minutes: Invert the bowl over the dough and let it rest.
Shaping 15 minutes: Knead for 30 seconds to flatten the dough and press out the air bubbles. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Roll each into a 12x15-inch rectangle. From the short side, roll into a tight loaf--pinching together at the seam and ends. Place on the baking sheet.
Rising 1-1/4 hours: Cover the loaves with wax paper and put in a warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) until light and doubled in volume.
Baking 425 degrees, 35 minutes: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush loaves with beaten egg white and bake untiil they are light and shiny brown. Turn a loaf over and tap the bottom crust with a forefinger. A hard hollow sound means the bread is baked.
Final Step: Remove from the oven and place on a metal rack to cool. Because of the 1/3 cup of butter in the dough, this bread, unlike a French or Italian bread, will keep for several days wrapped in foil or plastic. This is a great barbecue bread.
Caryn's notes: I line the baking sheet with parchment paper before putting the loaves on it, and I bake this bread at 400 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 190 to 195 degrees F.