Recipe

Country White Bread Revised 2009 Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Momoften / All my dishes 1 year, 1 month ago I am always on the hunt for a good bread recipe that I can easily make every week or more. After some tweeking of various recipes and techniques, this is the one I have been using for the last month. (October 2008). It makes 3 loaves. Once cooled ... More Prep:120m Cook:35m Servings:3	Momoften
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Ingredients

Step 1:

2 cups milk, 110*F - 115*F

2 cups water, 110*F - 115*F

2 tablespoons yeast

4 cups (1 pound 4 ounces) all-purpose flour (I also make additions like wheat germ, wheat bran and flax within this weight)

Step 2:

5 cups (1 pound 9 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten, optional

3/4 tablespoon salt (you can add up to 1 1/2 T. salt)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Additional:

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour

Directions

Step 1:

In a large bowl or container, mix together with a wooden spoon the milk, water, yeast and flour.

Let rest for at least 3 hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 2:

Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, vital wheat gluten, salt and olive oil.

Stir it into the flour mixture from Step 1. You can use a spoon, but you may need to reach in to get it to fully combined.

Turn it out onto the counter and knead the dough for 5-8 minutes. Add only enough extra flour so that the dough doesn't stick to your hands, probably no more than the 1 cup. (I have never needed much of the 1 cup of flour.)

Step 3:

Put in an oiled bowl, flip over and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. (I use the cover from the bowl I use.) Rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes. When you touch the dough it shouldn't spring back. [If the house is cold, turn on the oven for 1 minute at 180*F. Set bowl in the oven with the oven off.]

Step 4:

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Shape into to loaves and place seam side down in greased loaf pans. Cover with a damp towel and let rise 45 to 60 minutes. Again, when poked the indentation shouldn't spring back, don't skimp on this step.

Step 5:

20 minutes before the rise time is up, Preheat the oven to 375*F. If you have a baking stone put that on a rack below. Also place a broiler pan on a lower rack.

Step 6:

Place loaves in the oven. Pour 1 cup of water in the broiler pan.

Bake 375*F for 25 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pans and place directly on rack.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

The bread should sound hollow when you tap the bottom.

Remove to cooling racks. Allow to cool before slicing. about 1 hour.

Once cool, wrap 2 of the loaves and place in the freezer. [I pre-slice the loaves and place in the freezer, that way we can take out only what we need.]

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