How to Make Homemade Basic White Bread

There are many reasons to make your own bread at home. First, the quality of homemade bread is far superior to what you will buy in the bread isle of your local supermarket. Second, the smell of freshly baked bread is a wonderful aroma to come home to or a great way to greet your dinner guests as they walk through your door. And third, the price of store bought bread can run as high as $3.00 a loaf for the higher quality store bread and as low as $1.00 or less for the lower quality store bread. Making your own bread can save your family a lot of hard earned money.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kitchen Aid or other stand mixer with kneading attachment
• Or Food Processor
• 1 package of active dry yeast or 1 Tablespoon of dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 ¾ to 4 cups of flour (start with 3 ¾ cup first)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons butter softened for rising bowl and loaf pans

1. The first step is to proof your yeast by adding the yeast to ½ cup of warm water (between 100° to 115° F) and the sugar, stir well. Allow the mix to ferment for a few minutes, you should see frothy bubbles forming on the surface of the liquid.

2. While the yeast is proofing. Measure 3 ¾ cup of flour into mixing bowl (save ¼ c flour for kneading). Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the flour and blend well. Slowly pour ¾ cup of warm water into the flour mixture while mixing on low using a kneading attachment. Add the yeast mixture slowly and continue to mix on low speed. The dough should form a ball and should be removed from the side of the mixing bowl, the dough should spring back when indented with your fingers.

3. First Rising - Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place it in a mixing bowl or bread rising bowl that has been lightly buttered. Cover the bread dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel and place in a warm draft free area. Allow the bread to double in size (this should take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours). You will know that it has risen enough if you press on the dough and the dough does not spring back.

4. Second Rising - Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and cut in half. Shape the dough into smooth round shaped balls and allow to sit for 4 minutes. Then shape into the shape of your loaf pan. Place the loaf shaped dough into a buttered loaf pan – making sure to butter the bottom and sides thoroughly (I prefer glass loaf pans – but metal is just fine). Allow the dough to go through the second rising. Cover the loaf pans and allow dough to rise slightly above the side of the loaf pan. This should take from ½ hour to 1 ½ hour.

5. Preheat oven to 400° when the second rising is almost complete. You can cut diagaonal slits in the surface of the bread for decorative affect and to prevent the bread from cracking. Brush the surface of the loaf with cold water. Place the loaf pans in the oven in the center or near the bottom of the oven. Baking time can be anywhere from 30 – 50 minutes, depending on the oven. To test the bread knock on the top of the bread. If it sounds hollow it is done. Remove the bread from the oven and invert onto a clean towel. If the bottom needs additional cooking place the bread loaf directly in the oven to crisp the bottom, watching to ensure the bread doesn’t burn. I like to rub butter on the top of the bread right after I’ve removed it from the oven. It makes the surface nicely golden brown and very attractive.

Tips & Warnings

• I like to eat the bread as soon as humanly possible with some butter and jam while it is still warm.
• However if you would like to store the bread for later use – allow the bread to cool for 1 – 3 hours – at which time you can slice and store.
• These loafs are great for freezing – but in my family there never is enough left to freeze. The loafs can be frozen for up to a month.
• It is a good idea to use a kitchen thermometer when proofing the yeast – be sure water is between 100° – 115° F.

[Dayweaver]

on 10/6/2009 Your bread recipe sounds delicious! Thanks.