Great White Bread

Homemade white sandwich bread kneaded in a stand mixer with a dough hook. You add only half the flour at the start so the yeast has a chance to activate in the "sponge." 

To make a sweeter dough, increase the sugar up to 1-1/2 tablespoons.

• 3 cups all-purpose white flour, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white granular sugar 
• 1 Tbsp shortening 
• 2-1/4 tsp instant (quick rise) yeast OR traditional dry yeast
• 1-1/4 cups water (heated to 120 to 130 degrees F)
• canola or olive oil and butter

1. Warm the mixer's stainless steel mixing bowl: wash in hot water, then dry. 
2. Combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, shortening and quick-rise yeast in mixer bowl on medium low speed (if using traditional dry yeast don't add it yet.)
3. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix till ingredients are combined.
4. If using instant quick-rise yeast: heat 1-1/4 cups water to 120 to 130 degrees F, about 1 minute in my microwave oven.
5. If using traditional dry yeast: heat water to 110 to 115 degrees F., sprinkle traditional dry yeast over warm water, wait 5 minutes, stir in yeast, wait another 5 minutes or so until yeast/water mixture is foamy.
6. With kneading (dough) hook attached and mixer at low speed, slowly add warm water (or warm water and foamy traditional yeast) to flour mixture.
7. Stopping to scrape down sides as needed, increase speed to medium low.
8. Mix thoroughly to make a wet dough. When combined, stop machine.
9. Cover bowl (around dough hook) with plastic wrap and/or a clean cloth. Let bowl sit, covered, 10-20 minutes.
10. Remove cover. Dough should look a bit "risen" (you should see that the yeast is activating and the mixture looks like a wet dough sponge.)
11. Turn mixer on low. Add the rest of the flour, 1-1/2 cups, a half cup at a time.
12. Scrape down sides and mix till dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
13. Let knead a few minutes more until dough looks like it will handle easily.
14. With floured hands, remove dough from around dough hook and bowl from mixer.
15. Pat dough into a round and return to the bowl.
16. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. (Dampen a clean dishcloth with warm tap water and wring it out well, but don't use a dishcloth that has been washed in scented detergent.)
17. Turn oven temperature to 76 degrees F. OR preheat the oven set to 350 degrees F for ONE MINUTE then turn the oven off. Don't keep the oven on till it actually reaches 350 degrees, just set it to 350 but turn it off after one minute. This will warm your oven enough. Then keep the oven OFF but turn the oven light ON to keep the dough warm while rising.
18. Place the bowl of dough in the warm oven and let dough rise until doubled in size, up to 1 hour.
19. Lightly grease an 8-1/2" x 4-1/2 inch baking pan. 
20. Remove bowl of risen dough from oven and remove cover.
21. Lightly flour clean hands, then punch down dough and form into a loaf shape. 
22. Press dough into corners of prepared loaf pan.
23. Brush top of dough lightly with olive oil or canola oil.
24. Do not cover the dough this time. Put the pan of dough in the warm (100 degrees F) oven to rise again. 
25. Leave dough to rise until doubled, with oven light on, about 1 hour.
26. When dough has risen to the height and shape it should be when baked, leave the pan in the oven and turn on the oven to 425 degrees F.
27. Bake for 25-30 minutes until top of loaf is golden and top is firm when tapped.
28. Remove loaf from oven and test that it's done. A thermometer inserted into the centre of the loaf will read 200 degrees F. Or a long toothpick or clean broom straw inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean with few crumbs.
29. If not done, return to pan of bread to oven, bake longer, re-test.
30. When loaf is done, brush top lightly with butter.
31. Let baked loaf sit in the pan for about 10 minutes to cool.
32. Remove loaf from pan and continue cooling on cooling rack.
33. Bread may be sliced when still a bit warm. Bread will cut easily using a serrated bread knife.You can cut thinner slices for sandwiches when the bread is completely cool.
34. Keeps well for a few days wrapped, outside the fridge. Keep the end crust against the cut slice.
35. You can get reusable, washable 100% cotton bread bags with a draw string. Mine is made by Danica. Note: wash cotton food storage bags in unscented pure laundry soap.