Plain White Bread

Dry:

  • 4c white flour

Wet:

  • 1 1/4c Milk
  • 1/4c Water
  • 2T Butter
  • 2T Sugar
  • 2t Salt

Atop:

  • 1 1/4t Bread Machine Yeast

Instructions:

  1. Pour wet ingredients into bottom of pan; mix well
  2. Cover with flour
  3. Pour yeast into a depression in the center of the flour
  4. Set to 2lb dark white (About 3 hours); push 'go'
  5. ...
  6. Profit!

In Oven

  1. Prepare dough as above, but set the bread machine to 'dough'
  2. Preheat oven to 450f
  3. Grease and flour bread pans
  4. Once dough has finished rising in bread machine, flop onto a lightly floured countertop
  5. Stretch dough into roughly a rectangle
  6. Start at one narrow end and roll dough up into a round shape, tucking the sides in and under as you go
  7. Once rolled up completely, set seam-side down, shape to the size of the loaf pan, and make diagonal cuts every inch or so along the top of the roll
  8. Place dough roll seam side down in the bottom of a bread pan
  9. Rest someplace warm to rise for 40-50 minutes, or until doubled in size
  10. Once risen, reduce oven heat to 400f, set bread pan with dough into middle shelf of preheated oven, toss a quarter cup cold water onto the oven floor (not onto the dough!) and close door immediately
  11. Do not open the door for fifteen minutes
  12. I'm serious. Not even a peek.
  13. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until exposed loaf is starting to get golden
  14. Cover with a sheet or tent of aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting too brown when baking for the last 15 or so minutes
  15. Consider basting the crown with butter 5 minutes before completion
  16. Loaf is done when crown is golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when thumped

Extra:

  • 2t crushed oregano in wet makes a nice aromatic loaf
  • 2t garlic powder destroys universe -- do not try
  • 2T grated parmesan cheese, maybe?
Loaf    |   1lb | 1 1/2lb |    2lb
--------+-------+---------+-------
Milk    |  2/3c | 3/4c+3T | 1 1/4c
Water   |    2T |      3T |   1/4c
Butter  |    1T |  1 1/2T |     2T
Sugar   |    1T |  1 1/2T |     2T
Salt    |  3/4t |  1 1/4t |     2t
Flour   |    2c |      3c |     4c
Yeast   |  2/3t |  15/16t | 1 1/4t
  • Trying 1.5lb loaf with 1t salt instead of 1 1/2t -- rises too high
  • Trying 1.5lb loaf with 1 1/4t salt instead of 1 1/2t -- works good for oven loaf