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:
- Pour wet ingredients into bottom of pan; mix well
- Cover with flour
- Pour yeast into a depression in the center of the flour
- Set to 2lb dark white (About 3 hours); push 'go'
- ...
- Profit!
In Oven
- Prepare dough as above, but set the bread machine to 'dough'
- Preheat oven to 450f
- Grease and flour bread pans
- Once dough has finished rising in bread machine, flop onto a lightly floured countertop
- Stretch dough into roughly a rectangle
- Start at one narrow end and roll dough up into a round shape, tucking the sides in and under as you go
- 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
- Place dough roll seam side down in the bottom of a bread pan
- Rest someplace warm to rise for 40-50 minutes, or until doubled in size
- 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
- Do not open the door for fifteen minutes
- I'm serious. Not even a peek.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until exposed loaf is starting to get golden
- 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
- Consider basting the crown with butter 5 minutes before completion
- 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 1/2t | 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