Homemade White Bread

Good White bread is a great comfort food and an awesome versatile bread you can enjoy so many different ways. These loaves bake incredibly quickly for a yeast recipe which requires two rises and in about 2 hours you have fresh bread wafting from your oven and your kitchen smells of fresh bread. The loaves bake up incredibly tall, soft inside, with a light crust and fluffy… they make the perfect white bread!

Makes 2 loaves

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Let Rise 2 hours

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)

1/4 cup milk powder

2 1/4 cups warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp oil or softened butter

5 1/2 - 6 cups all purpose or bread flour

1/4 cup extra (if needed)

4″x8″ pans(2)

Steps:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast in the warm water with sugar. Keep it to proof till the yeast is bubbly and foamy, add salt, oil, milk powder, and 3 to 4 cups flour, and mix well.

2. Add all the remaining flour 1/2 a cup at a time, to form a soft, dough. (The extra 1/4 cup flour use only if the dough is very sticky). The dough should be just slightly sticky to your fingers when touched, but not be very sticky. Knead for a few minutes till its smooth.

3. In an oiled bowl place the dough and coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap and keep in a warm place to rise for one hour, or until doubled.

4. When the dough has risen, take it out in a work surface and knead a few times. Divide the dough in two half portions and roll it out with a rolling pin into a long rectangle. Fold the top end and roll the dough inwards to form a log approximately 7 to 8 inches long. Make 2 logs.

5. Place the dough, seam side down, into lightly greased 4x8 loaf bread loaf pans, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise one hour, or until the dough is about 1 inch higher than the top of the pan.

6. Preheat the oven to 375. Bake 30-35 minutes, or till the loaves have golden brown tops . Place them on a cooling rack and cool before slicing.

It’s important for the bread to rise an inch Or more above the pan.

Notes:

When the loaves are ready they sound hollow when tapped.

Enjoy!