Simple White Bread

Simple White Bread

 

 

My family members are big time bread eaters.  Personally, I have never cared much for bread either way, but fresh homemade bread is another story.  There's something about baking bread from scratch, and having the scent permeate your house, that is impossible to resist.  

 

I found a simple recipe from allrecipes.com (click here for the original recipe) about a year ago, and since then I've made a few adjustments that have made it a must-have staple in my home.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of hot water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 cups flour

Combine the hot water, sugar, and yeast in a mixing bowl or stand mixer.  Let stand for about 15 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and has doubled in size.  

 

Add the olive oil and salt and mix well.  Then incorporate the flour slowly.  I add 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer at "Stir" speed.  Once all the flour has been added, need the dough for at least 3 minutes or until the dough is smooth.  

 

Spray a bowl non-stick cooking spray.   Form the dough into a ball and place it into the bowl.  Flip over the dough ball to make sure both sides are coated with the non-stick spray.  This will keep the dough from sticking to the cover you will put over the bowl. Set the bowl someplace warm; I set it on top of a heated oven when I'm already cooking something else.  Cover the bowl with saran wrap, foil, or one of those Ziploc fitted bowl covers (they look like shower caps).  Let the dough set for an hour until it doubles in size. 

 

Once the dough has doubled, take the cover off and knead the dough for 3 minuted to reactivate the yeast.  Separate the dough in half for two loaves, or shape into several small (2 inch) balls for dinner rolls.  Place the dough halves into bread pans that have been oiled and floured, or place the dough balls onto an oiled baking sheet.  

 Let the dough rise for another hour until it has doubled in size again.  

 

 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees.  Bread loaves will bake for 30 minutes and dinner rolls will bake for 12-18 minutes.  They will be golden brown on top when they're done.  

This bread is grest right out of the oven with butter or honey.  And it also keeps well if it is stored in an airtight container.  It makes great sandwich bread and the french toast is AMAZING!