Corn Bread

Serve corn bread warm from the oven, with chicken, stew or chilli.

• Canola oil for greasing pan
• 1 large beaten egg
• 1 cup  milk
• 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
• 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp sugar (to taste)
• 1 tsp salt (optional)
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal OR 1 cup cornmeal + 1 cup cornflour or all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Grease the inside of a cast iron skillet or 8x8" baking pan.
3. Place greased pan in the oven.
4. In a medium bowl, beat egg, milk and 1/4 cup oil.
5. Add sugar and/or salt, stir.
6. Stir in cornmeal just until moistened.
7. Batter should be lumpy, don't overmix.
8. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven.
9. Pour the batter into the pan.
10. Put pan back in the oven and bake 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
11. Knife inserted in the centre should come out clean.
12. Serve warm.

Whole Wheat Bread

Handmade Canadian Whole Wheat Bread

I was reading Ann Murphy-Hiscock's 2009 book  The Way of the Hedge Witch, and thought I'd try her Basic Traditional Bread recipe...when I realized it is this one, posted here five years ago. Had I taken this book out of the library before? It certainly looks like it's been in many hands in the thirteen years the book has been in circulation, so many loaves of this bread may have been baked since then.

Stir this dough with a wooden spoon (or a Dutch dough whisk) and knead by hand the old-fashioned way.

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 Tbsp traditional dry yeast
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup white flour plus more
• canola, olive or other cooking oil

1. Put 2 cups warm water in a large glass or ceramic bowl and stir in the sugar or honey  until dissolved.
2. Sprinkle the yeast into the water. Wait 5-10 minutes for yeast to activate.
3. Stir in 2 cups whole-wheat flour with wooden mixing spoon until no big lumps remain.
4. Add the rest of the flour little by little, mixing well. Stir clockwise until dough is the consistency of cake batter and the spoon will stand up on its own in the middle of the bowl for a couple of seconds before falling over.
5. Cover bowl with a damp lint-free dishtowel and set bowl in a warm place (around 76-80 degrees F) to rise at least 2 hours.
6. Add salt to 1/2 cup white flour and mix in. Add as much white flour as the dough will take, mixing it in until dough forms a ball and stops sticking to your hands.
7. Thoroughly oil a loaf pan.
8. Sprinkle countertop or wooden board with flour. Knead 5-15 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding white flour as necessary to keep the dough from becoming sticky.
9. Form the dough into a loaf shape. Put dough in the loaf pan bottom side up, then turn to oil all around.
10. Put back in a warm 76-80 degrees F place and allow to rise again, 45- 60 minutes until loaf is fully rised to the size it will be when baked.
11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
12. Bake loaf 30-35 minutes.
13. Let loaf cool in pan on a rack until you can safely handle it, then turn out loaf onto the rack let loaf cool on a wire rack 30 minutes at least before slicing.

The following recipes use a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour for a bread that's light in texture and made in a stand mixer.

Stand Mixer Single Loaf Whole Wheat Bread:

• 1-3/4 cups water at 110 degrees F
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1-1/8 tsp traditional dry yeast
• 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose white flour
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp melted butter or margarine
• 1-1/2 tsp salt

In a two-cup measure, stir 1 tsp brown sugar into 1-3/4 cups water at 100 degrees F.

Sprinkle 1-1/4 tsp yeast over top.

Let stand 5 minutes, then stir. Let stand 5 minutes.

In mixer bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour and 1-1/2 tsp. salt.

Mix in yeast mixture, then melted butter.

Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 20 minutes.

Add 1-3/4 cups white flour, mix with kneading hook at least 5 minutes.

Or if mixed by hand, knead by hand on floured counter until smooth, about 20-30 minutes.

Place in greased container, cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled.

Punch down, form into loaf and place in greased loaf pan.

Cover and let rise again 1-1/2 hours.

Bake in preheated 400 degrees F oven for 20-30 minutes.

Two Loaves Whole Wheat Bread:

• 3-1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 pkg. yeast or 2-1/4 tsp.
• 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp melted butter
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 cups white flour

4 Loaves Whole Wheat Bread Original Recipe: Stir and Hand-Knead

• 7 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsps traditional dry yeast (or 2 pkgs.)
• 7 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup melted margarine
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 7 cups white flour

In very large bowl, mix sugar and warm water, sprinkle yeast over, let stand 10 minutes, stir.

Mix in whole wheat flour, margarine and salt.

Add white flour, mix.

Turn on floured counter, knead.

Place in large greased container, cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours

Punch down, shape, place in 4 greased loaf pans. 

Cover and let rise 1-1/2 hours.

Bake at 400 degrees F 20-30 minutes.

Yields 4 loaves.

Brazier Family's White Bread

From an old St. Bonaventure Church (Toronto) community recipe book.

In a small bowl mix:

• 2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• Sprinkle over top:
• 2 Tbsp traditional dry yeast OR 2 packages dry yeast.

Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir.

In a large bowl, add:

• 3 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tsp salt

Mix until shortening has melted.

Add:

• 2 large, beaten eggs
• 1 cup milk

Add yeast mixture.

Mix in approximately:

•  12 cups all-purpose flour.

Turn this  mixture onto a floured counter and knead.

Place in large greased container.

Cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

After dough has risen, punch down, shape into loaves and place in greased loaf pans.

Cover and let rise until doubled about 1-1/2 hours.

Bake at 400 degrees 20-30 minutes.

Makes 4 loaves.

Half-Recipe (Makes 2 loaves)

• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/8 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp traditional dry yeast
• 1-1/2 cups hot water
• 1/8 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 cups flour

1. Mix 3/8 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp yeast over, let sit 10 minutes, stir.
3. In large bowl add 1-1/2 cups hot water.
4. Stir in 1/8 cup shortening, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tsp salt until shortening melts.
5. Add 1 beaten egg and 1/2 cup milk.
6. Stir in 6 cups flour.
7. Knead.
8. Place in greased container, cover, let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
9. Punch down risen dough, shape into loaves, place in greased loaf pans.
10. Cover and let rise 1-1/2 hours or until doubled
11. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.

Dutch White Sandwich Bread

This was my first attempt at this recipe with stand mixer kneading only. See the holes? Eliminate these by punching down the bread after the first rise and kneading a little by hand before placing dough in a loaf pan for its second rise. This loaf was baked, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, frozen and defrosted a week later on the counter.

The second time, I made the doubled recipe, used milk for half of the liquid, and hand-kneaded the dough for 15 minutes. The dough seemed stiff while kneading but after the first rise in the oven, was soft and pliable. The texture after baking was fine with no large holes. 

This is a Dutch family recipe from a lady who makes 3 small loaves at a time, mixing and kneading the dough entirely by hand.

You need time to make this bread as you must wait for the sponge to rise and then the dough to rise twice, but that gives the bread its flavour. It's delicious even when a few days old, toasted and spread with butter. The original (double) recipe is below this one. 

One Loaf of Dutch White Sandwich Bread

• 1-1/2 cups water heated to 120-130 degrees F.
• 1-1/2 Tbsp quick-rise (instant) yeast
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp granulated white sugar (OR 1/4 cup for sweet bread)
• 4 cups unbleached white flour OR bread flour

1. Preheat oven to 76 degrees F. Do this by preheating oven to 100 degrees F then turning it off and letting temperature fall (check with a thermometer.) OR turn the oven light on until the oven light heats the oven to 76 degrees. This is the best temperature for rising dough.
2. Wash the stainless steel bowl of your mixer in hot water and dry it.
3. Combine in the warm bowl: 2 cups flour, 1-1/2 Tbsp yeast, 1-1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar.
4. Mix 2 Tbsp oil in 1-1/2 cups very warm water.
5. While mixing with the dough hook of your mixer attached, add the water mixture gradually to the flour mixture.
6. Continue to mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let this "sponge" rise on the counter. The bowl and dough are already warm so don't worry now about putting the sponge in a warmer place unless your kitchen is cold. Let rise until doubled in height.
8. With dough hook attached to the mixer, gradually mix in 2 more cups flour.
9. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
10. Remove dough from mixer bowl and place in a 2L (2 quart) food-grade plastic container or a bowl greased with oil.
11. Cover with the container's lid or  cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dampened lint-free cotton cloth.
12. Place covered dough in the 76 degree F oven and leave to let rise until doubled.
13. Punch down dough. Cover again and let rest a few minutes.
14. Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan.
15. Knead dough a little by hand and then shape and place in loaf pan, pressing dough into the corners.
16. Put an oven-proof measuring cup (or a pan) of hot water at the back of the oven to keep the dough from drying out as it rises uncovered.
17. Put uncovered dough in loaf pan back into the oven with the oven light on, to rise at 76 degrees F until doubled.
18. Carefully remove the water container from the oven but do not remove the risen bread.
19. Turn the oven to 350 degrees F with the bread still in the oven.
20. Bake 35-45 minutes or until golden and the temperature in centre of loaf measures 200 degrees F. (or until a clean broom straw inserted into the centre of loaf comes out dry and with no or just a few crumbs.)
21. Remove bread from oven and brush top of loaf with a little butter.
22. After ten minutes, take loaf from pan and continue to cool on a wire cooling rack.

Doubled Recipe

Bake this dough in three small loaf pans or two 9 x 5" loaf pans. The original recipe uses 3 cups water but I use milk for half of the liquid .

• 1-1/2  cups water heated to 120 - 130 degrees F.
• 1-1/2 cups milk heated to 120 - 130 degrees F.
• 3 Tbsp active dry yeast
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tsp white granulated sugar (OR 1/2 cup for sweet bread)
• 8 cups bread flour OR unbleached white flour

1. In a large bowl, combine heated water, milk and  the sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit 20 minutes. Yeast will become foamy.
2. With wooden spoon or in mixer with dough hook attached, stir in oil, salt and 4 cups flour.
3. Cover and let rise until doubled.
4. Gradually add remaining 4 cups flour until dough becomes too stiff to stir, then mix in by hand.
5. Knead by hand on lightly floured surface until dough is smooth.
6. Wash and dry the mixing bowl to remove any crumbs. Grease lightly.
7. Place dough back in the dry lightly greased bowl covered with a damp, lint-free cloth.
8. Let rise in a warm place (76 degrees F) until doubled in size. Active dry yeast may take about a half-hour longer to rise than quick-rise yeast.
9. Punch down dough, let rest while greasing three 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch pans OR two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans.
10. Knead dough, divide and shape into loaves, pushing dough into corners of loaf pans.
11. Let rise again, uncovered, in an oven warmed to 76 degrees F. Put an oven-proof measuring cup (or a pan) of hot water at the back of the oven to keeps the dough from drying out as it rises uncovered.
12. When loaves have reached the height they should be when baked, carefully remove the container of water from the oven, but leave the loaves inside.
13. Turn the oven on to bake at medium heat (350 degrees F or 175 degrees C) until loaves are done, 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the loaves.
14. Test for doneness by tapping top of bread and inserting a broom straw into centre of loaf (should come out clean with few crumbs).
15. A thermometer inserted into the centre of a fully baked loaf will read 200 degrees F.
16. Return to oven to bake longer if necessary, covering loaves with foil if crust is getting brown.
17. After removing loaves from oven, brush tops with a little butter, for a softer crust.
18. Let bread sit in hot pans ten minutes, then turn out of pans and cool on cooling racks.

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.

Stand Mixer Sandwich Bread and Raisin Bread Variation

This recipe makes 2 loaves of sandwich bread. 
Adding gluten when using whole wheat flour will make the dough more "stretchy" and the loaf lighter in texture.

If using only bread flour or only white all-purpose flour  (instead of the mixture of whole wheat and white in the ingredients,) it's not necessary to add gluten.

Quantities for 1 loaf and a sweeter dough for the Raisin Bread variation follow.

In large bowl of stand mixer, mix until well-combined:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
• 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten (optional)
• 4 tsp. quick rise instant dry yeast

Heat to 120-130 degrees F (test with a thermometer) :

• 2-1/2 cups milk

When it's at the correct temperature, add the very warm milk to the flour mixture.

Mix, scraping sides of bowl, about 1 minute.

Cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine:

• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream OR plain Greek yogurt
• 4 tsp white vinegar

After the flour/yeast mixture has rested 10 minutes, uncover the bowl and add the sour cream/oil/salt/vinegar mixture.

Use the dough hook and mix 1 minute until combined.

Add the rest of the flour, mixing well after each addition:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour

Knead on low speed with the dough hook, stopping to push dough down if it moves up over the top of the hook. Dough will be sticky but resist adding more flour, continue to mix and dough should become smooth and pull away from the sides of the bowl. This could take 5-15 minutes. If you need to add more flour, add a tablespoon at a time.

Grease with butter:

• 2 non-stick bread loaf pans, 9 x 5 x 2" OR 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2" 

Flour your hands, remove bread from the bowl, divide in two.

Shape dough into 2 loaves to fit your pans, pressing dough into corners of greased pans.

Preheat oven to warm, 100 degrees F. (You can also turn oven to  350 degrees F for just 1 minute and then turn it off, which should give you a just-warm oven.)

Turn oven OFF.  Turn ON oven light.

Place loaves in warm oven to rise for 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Leave the pans in the oven.

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until a digital thermometer inserted into the centre of each loaf reaches 200 degrees F.

Take baked loaves from oven and turn out of pans onto cooling rack.

Brush warm loaves with a little butter for a softer crust.

Cool before slicing. Store in a plastic bag or wrap in a dishcloth.

Use within a couple of days.

Extra loaf can be wrapped and frozen. 

TO MAKE ONE LOAF OF SANDWICH BREAD:

Follow instructions as above, using the following quantities. (Abbreviated instructions included.)

Combine:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose white flour
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp vital wheat gluten
• 2-1/4 tsp instant quick-rise dry yeast

Mix in for 1 minute:

• 1-1/4 cups milk warmed to 120-130 degrees F

Cover and let rest TEN minutes.

Combine and add to "rested" flour/milk mixture:

• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sour cream OR plain Greek  yogurt
• 2 tsp white vinegar

Mix 1 minute with dough hook, scraping sides of bowl.

Add:

• 1-1/4 cups white all-purpose flour

Let mixture knead 5-15 minutes till you have a smooth dough.

Flour hands, remove dough from bowl, shape into loaf.

Press into greased loaf pan.

Let rise in slightly warm oven (turned off) about 40 minutes.

Leave in oven, turn oven on to 350 degrees F, bake 30-40 minutes or till done.

(Thermometer inserted into centre of baked loaf will read 200 degrees F).

Remove from plan, place on cooling rack, brush lightly with butter.

Let cool before slicing.

Whole Wheat Raisin Bread

These quantities are for two loaves of  raisin bread. Halve the quantities for a single loaf.

In large bowl of stand mixer, mix until well-combined:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
• 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
• 4 tsp. quick rise instant dry yeast

Heat to 120-130 degrees F (test with a thermometer) :

• 2-1/2 cups milk 

When it's at the correct temperature, add the very warm milk to the flour mixture.

Mix, scraping sides of bowl, about 1 minute.

Cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine:

• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (OR melted, cooled coconut oil)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

After the flour/yeast mixture has rested 10 minutes, uncover the bowl and add the salt/oil/honey/lemon/vanilla mixture.

Use the dough hook and mix 1 minute until combined.

Add the rest of the flour, mixing well after each addition:

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour

Knead on low speed with the dough hook.

Stop and push down down if it moves up over the top of the hook.

Dough will be sticky but resist adding more flour, continue to mix.

Dough should become smooth and pull away from the sides of the bowl in 5-15 minutes.

While dough is kneading, combine in a bowl:

• 2 cups raisins mixed with 3 tsp flour
• 1 Tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

Add to kneaded dough and continue to knead (in stand mixer with dough hook or in bowl with floured hands if stand mixer seems overwhelmed) until mixed in.

Divide dough in two and shape into two loaves.

Press into two greased loaf pans.

Place in barely warm oven (heat turned off, oven light on).

Let rise 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Leave loaves in oven but turn on heat to 350 degrees F.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until digital thermometer inserted into center of  loaf reaches 200 degrees F.

Remove baked loaves from oven and then from pans.

Put loaves on wire rack to cool.

Brush lightly with butter.

Cool before slicing.

Amish Sweet Sandwich Bread (Stand Mixer Recipe)

This recipe from an Amish community in Indiana makes 2 sandwich loaves. I found it slightly sweet for sandwiches other than peanut butter and jelly, so next time I'm cutting down on the sugar or adding raisins.

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1-1/2 Tbsp dry active yeast
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup oil
• 6 cups flour

Rinse stainless steel mixer bowl with hot water to warm before proofing the yeast.
Add warm water, sugar, and yeast to bowl. Allow to "proof" or rest for about 10 minutes till frothy.

Add salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour.
Mix with dough hook.
Add more flour one cup at a time.
After dough forms a soft, velvety ball, knead an additional 1-2 minutes with dough hook OR 8-10 minutes by hand.

Cover bread and let rise, free from drafts, until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down and briefly knead by hand.
Divide into 2 equal parts, place in well-greased loaf pans.
Loosely cover and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Loaf will be lightly golden on the top, the colour of a loaf of grocery store white bread.

Sweet White Bread

Have this with jam, or slice to make french toast. Also good with butter or honey and peanut butter and a cup of tea.

• 2 cups milk
• 8 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 pkgs. active dry yeast (4-1/2 tsp)
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 6-7 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large beaten egg

Scald milk in a small pot.
Stir in butter, salt and sugar.
Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the lukewarm milk mixture.
Put 3 cups of flour in a large bowl and stir while gradually adding the liquids and the beaten egg.

Add the rest of the flour and knead till smooth and elastic.

Let the dough rise till doubled in a buttered bowl covered with plastic wrap.

Butter two 8-1/2 inch x 4-1/2 inch  loaf pans.
Punch down the risen dough and divide in half.
Form loaves and place in greased pans.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise till the dough reaches the top of the pans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Bake bread 40-50 min. till browned and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Remove from pans and cool.