White Bread
 
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup warm water (about 100°-110° F.)
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to around 100°-110° F.
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6-6½ cup all-purpose white flour
  • Vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. Heat the milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat string constantly with a wooden spoon until it gets to around 180° F. (about the time when small bubbles appear on the edge of the pan). Check with a thermometer if you aren't sure. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat and add the butter to the milk. Set it aside to cool a bit (around 90°-110° F.) Add dry yeast to a mixing bowl and add ¼ cup warm water and ½ tablespoon sugar. Allow to proof for 10 minutes (it should double in size and get foamy if the yeast is good). When the milk has cooled to the correct temperature you can add it to the yeast along with the remaining 1½ tablespoons of sugar and salt. You can now begin mixing in the flour. I use a stand mixer, but it can also be done by hand. Add the first three cups of flour one at a time stirring each time until the flour is evenly moistened. Add the fourth cup of flour and beat until dough is smooth and elastic. Mix in the 5th cup of flour to make a stiff dough. You might have to take it off the mixer and mix it by hand at this point as the dough will be very stiff. Measure out another cup of flour and sprinkle half of it over a board. Turn your dough out onto the board and start kneading it. Keeping the board floured as you go, knead the dough by pulling it toward you with your fingers, than folding it over and pushing down on it with the heal of you hand. Knead it for about 10 minutes. It should be satiny and smooth when you are done. I suppose you can do this in the stand mixer with a dough hook, but I like doing it on the board. Form the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, flipping it over so that the top has a coat of oil on it as well. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and put it in a warm spot (80° F. is ideal). Leave it undisturbed for about 1½ hours. If the temperature was right, it should have doubled in size. After it has risen, punch it slightly to remove some air and turn it out onto a floured board. Briefly knead to form into an oval, then divide in half, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Shape each into a loaf and put into a 9” x 5” lightly greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. After that time, place is a preheated 375° F. oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until well browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn loaves out onto a rack to cool.
Recipe by Have You Eaten, SF? at https://haveyoueatensf.com/fresh-baked-bread/