Homemade White Bread
Recipe adapted slightly from The Homemade Pantry
Let's get something straight. I am a huge fan of bread. And I am super picky. I am not a fan of store-purchased bread unless it is sourdough (because I have not perfected that yet) or unless it comes from Great Harvest Bread Company or a bakery. My mom spoiled us growing up by making homemade bread.
I set out to find a great recipe for homemade bread that wasn't too tricky, didn't require a laundry list of ingredients and was very forgiving. This bread exceeds all expectations and quickly moved to the rank and title of "My New Favorite Homemade Bread" recipe.
Please don't be afraid to make homemade bread! I hear so many friends go on about how much time it takes to make bread but actual hands-on time is minimal with this recipe. This recipe couldn't be easier and if you can make a batch of cookies, you can easily create this bread!
Toasted, ready to be slathered with butter and Gram's raspberry jam!
White Bread Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp. instant yeast
2 1/2 Tab. salt
6 Tab. sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
2 1/4 cups lukewarm water (90-100 degrees F)
Instructions:
1. If using a mixer, combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, melted butter, dry milk powder and warm water in the bowl of the mixer. Knead, using the dough hook, on medium-low speed until the dough comes together and becomes soft, smooth and pliable for about 5-7 minutes. Add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of flour if the dough is wet and if it is too hard add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of warm water. If you are not using a mixer, mix with a wooden spoon then shift to your hands until you have a nice, pliable dough that does not stick to the edge of the bowl.
2. Put into a lightly greased (with olive oil) bowl and cover with a damp dish towel and set it in a non-drafty area for about 1 hour. (If you are like me, you may leave your house for a soccer game and football game, somewhat forgetting about the dough, and come home hours later to a well-raised bread dough. That is fine. Nothing happens if it rises for too long...at least not four to five hours!)
3. If using loaf pans, lightly grease the pans. Divide dough into two parts and roll each into an 8-inch log. Lay dough into prepared pans and cover lightly with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough is about 1 inch above the rim of the pan for about an hour. (I used a Demarle round Silform loaf pan, so it eliminated the need to grease the pan and makes for an evenly browned crust. This is one of my favorite baking items at the moment as it works superbly for baking bread with gorgeous crusts. This is what the Silform looks like.)
This bread freezes great for up to four months in the freezer. It supposedly lasts 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Mine has never lasted that long to test that theory! ;)
