White Bread

This is a great, easy white bread recipe that never fails to produce a large fluffy loaf.  Matter of fact, it makes two!  Next time I make it, I will take more photos of the process.

White Bread

4 1/2 teaspoons yeast

3/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup sugar

1 T salt

3 T butter, room temperature and cut into pieces

2 2/3 cup additional hot water

9-10 cups all-purpose flour

cooking spray

1. In the bowl of mixer, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup of warm water, about 5 minutes.

2. Add sugar, salt, butter, water, and mix gently to combine.

3.  Slowly add 5 cups of the flour, mixing on low speed until smooth.

4. Slowly add 3 more cups flour until the dough is smooth.

5. Remove bowl from mixer and knead in about one half to one more cup by hand in bowl.

6.Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead in additional dough until dough is smooth.

7.  Turn dough out into large bowl coated with cooking spray.  Coat top of dough with spray.

8.  Cover with wet warm towel, and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

9.  After an hour, punch down the dough.  Let dough rest for ten minutes.  

10. Punch dough down again, divide into two portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out into rectangles.  Roll up each portion, sealing edges firmly.  Tuck ends of roll tightly under bread and place into loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

11. Cover the loaves, set in a warm place, and let rise until doubled, about another hour.
12. Place one rack on the lowest position in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

13. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes. 

 Remove the loaves from pans, place on a wire rack to cool.