homemade white bread

How To Make homemade white bread

• 1

  Grease a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• 2

  In another large mixing bowl, add the yeast, salt, sugar, oil, and hot water. With a mixer, mix ingredients together for 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Note: All the mixing and kneading can be done in a large mixer with a dough hook. That will help cut down on the time with the mixing and kneading.
• 3

  Add 3 cups of flour and the powdered milk. Mix for another 2 minutes.
• 4

  With a wooden spoon, stir in 3 cups of bread flour. Remove the dough from the bowl out onto a lightly floured counter top or table.
• 5

  Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You may need to sprinkle a little flour on your dough or counter top a couple of times as you knead until it doesn’t stick to your surface any more.
• 
  6

  Place the dough into the greased bowl; flip the dough over so greased side is up. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap; don’t tighten it down, just lay it over the bowl loosely. The plastic helps it from drying out too much.
• 
  7

  Let dough rise until double in a warm place -- a sunny window or on warm clothes dryer that is running. It can rise as quickly as 45 minutes in those warm places. Otherwise, it can take up to 1 hour to 1 ½ hours depending on the temperature in your house.
• 
  8

  Note: If you are not sure if the bread has doubled, you can test the dough by pressing the dough on top with the tips of your two fingers. Press lightly and quickly about ½ inch into the dough. If the impression stays, the dough is doubled and is ready to be shaped into the pans. If the indent disappears quickly, it needs a little more time; cover and let rise a bit longer.
• 9

  Lightly grease 2 bread loaf pans with shortening. After the dough has risen, remove from bowl, and divide in half. Shape into a bread loaf pans. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise until doubled; approximately 45 minutes.
• 
  10

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 30-40 minute (everyone's oven temperature varies, so keep that in mind) Loaves should be golden brown on top. Remove from oven. Remove loaves from pans onto a wire rack.
• 11

  Take a wet paper towel, and it can be really good and wet, and wipe off the tops of the baked loaves of bread while it is still hot. This does not make your bread soggy. It keeps the bread crust soft! But, you can skip this step if you want.
• 
  12

  Let bread cool completely.
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