Fabulously Easy White Bread
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup hot milk
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 package dry yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (approx.)
- Mix shortening, salt, and sugar in a large bowl for about 2 minutes.
- Do not worry if the shortening does not completely melt, but make a good attempt.
- Add the hot milk and water.
- Let cool to lukewarm.
- In a small bowl, mix yeast with 1/4 cup water.
- Let stand 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups flour and yeast all at once and mix until well blended.
- Add 2 more cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing until blended well.
- Pour dough onto lightly floured board.
- (It will not actually"pour," so scrape out remnants with a spatula or potlicker.) Knead for two minutes with floured hands.
- Let rest for ten minutes.
- Dough will be very sticky.
- Adding enough of the remaining flour to keep the dough from sticking, knead the dough until smooth, elastic, and pliable (about 8-10 minutes.) Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease.
- Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
- Punch dough down and let rise to previous size and perhaps a little bigger (about 30-45 minutes.) Split dough into two halves.
- Place each half in a loaf pan and cover.
- Allow to rise until doubled in bulk (anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours) Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cover in a cloth.
- Change oven heat to 375 and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and immediately remove from pan.
- Knock lightly on the bottom of the loaf.
- If a hollow sound is made, bread is done.
- If not, return to the pan and bake 5-15 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Notes for great crusts: For a hard, crisp crust, brush the top with cold water three or four times while baking.
- For a soft crust, brush with cold milk or melted butter before baking.
- For a shiny crust, brush a mixture of egg yolk and one tbsp milk on bread before baking.
shortening, salt, sugar, hot milk, water, yeast, water, allpurpose
Taken from www.food.com/recipe/fabulously-easy-white-bread-68890 (may not work)