Homestyle Bread

I feel like a lot of people think you can't have good homemade bread unless you spend all day making it, or if you have a bread maker. It would probably be a lot easier with a bread maker, but definitely not any better. And making bread by hand doesn't have to take all day. This recipe, from the Joy of Cooking for Fast White Bread, is simple and quick. It takes around 3 hours from start to finish, and most of that time is rising time.

This bread is so delicious warm out of the oven, or used for sandwiches, and even better made as French Toast! You will probably want to make two loaves because it will disappear so quickly.

Homestyle Bread

2 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package quick-rise yeast (active dry will also work)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup very warm water (115-125 degrees F)
2 tablespoons butter, soft or melted
1 to 1 1/4 cups bread flour

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 1.5 hours
Baking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2.5 - 3 hours
Yield: 1 loaf

In a large bowl or heavy duty stand mixer, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the water and butter, and mix for one minute on low speed. Add more bread flour 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough is moist but not sticky.

Knead for 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl (turn the dough to coat completely). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes or until the bread has doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough, form into a loaf (roll into a rectangle that is the width of your pan, roll up the dough, pinch the seam together, and pinch the side seams), and place seam side down into a standard size greased loaf pan. Lightly oil the surface and cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk (30-45 minutes). Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the loaf for ten minutes, then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 30 minutes. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom of the loaf. Let cool completely.

I found that this bread was much better after letting it sit overnight. It was still extremely moist. I stored it in an old bread bag and cut slices as needed. Delicious!

Hope you enjoy.

*Baker's Tips:
   - The type of loaf pan you choose will alter the finished product. A glass or dark loaf pan will produce a thick dark crust, whereas an light aluminum pan will produce a thin crispy crust. I prefer a thin crisp crust so I used aluminum. If you choose a dark metal or glass pan, it is advised to reduce oven temperature by at least 25 degree to avoid the outside cooking faster than the inside. Baking time should not be affected but check regularly to prevent burning.
   - For a photo tutorial on shaping a loaf of bread, check out this website:
http://www.thekitchn.com/basic-techniques-how-to-shape-97063