Basic White Bread

Basic White Bread

I love bread. Especially when I have spent all day making it. It just builds the anticipation. I love the way that the house smells when I bake bread. I can not wait to get that oven open and slice a little piece of Heaven. 


Are you the same way? Homemade bread just taste so much better than the stuff you buy at the store and even if the process is a little bit time consuming, it is totally worth it.


This is a basic recipe for making simple white bread that you can use as it is or integrate it with other ingredients and make different kinds/flavors of bread like cinnamon bread or chocolate chips bread. Just have fun with it!




Ingredients:


2 cup bread flour (VERY important that you have the right flour!!)
1 package of instant yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup milk
1- 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1- 1/2 tbsp butter


Directions:
In a bowl of your electric mixer place yeast and dissolve it in 3/4 cup lukewarm (not hot because you will scorch the yeast; not cold, it will not activate the yeast) water. Let is sit for about 5-10 min. (This is HIGHLY important, because if the yeast does not dissolve completely, your bread WILL NOT RISE). In a sauce pan combine salt, sugar and butter. Add milk and heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolve. Cool to lukewarm. Add milk/yeast mixture to the yeast and water. Add in flour. Turn your electric mixer to low speed and with the dough hook mix for about 5-6 min or until you get a soft and sticky dough. (If you don’t have a mixer just knead the dough by hand) Placed dough in a greased bowl, cover with a warm towel (get a towel wet, ring it out, microwave about 30-40 seconds) and let rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. (I usually set it above the fridge). Now punch dough down and on a slightly floured surface roll it out into a long rectangular. Starting at a short side, roll the dough all the way to the other side. Place roll in a greased loaf pan. Cover again with a warm towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Bake at 200 C for about 30 min.


Remove from pan immediatelly and let it cool down before slicing it. Enjoy with fresh homemade butter.