Variation 1
- 4 3/4 cups (21.5 ounces) unbleached bread flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (.38 ounce) salt
- 1/4 cup (1.33 ounces) powdered milk (DMS)
- 3 1/4 tablespoons (1.66 ounces) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (.22 ounce) instant yeast
- 1 large (1.65 ounces) egg, slightly beaten, at room temperature
- 3 1/4 tablespoons (1.66 ounces) butter, margarine, or shortening, melted or at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 table-spoon to 1 3/4 cups (13 to 14 ounces) water, at room temperature
- 1 egg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water until frothy, for egg wash (optional)
- Sesame or poppy seeds for garnish (optional)
- Mix together the flour, salt, powdered milk, sugar, and yeast in a 4-quart bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
- Pour in the egg, butter, and 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon water and mix with a large metal spoon (or on low speed of the electric mixer with the paddle attachment) until all the flour is absorbed and the dough forms a ball.
- If the dough seems very stiff and dry, trickle in more water until the dough is soft and supple.
- Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook), adding more flour, if necessary, to create a dough that is soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky.
- Continue kneading (or mixing) for 6 to 8 minutes.
- (In the electric mixer, the dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick ever so slightly to the bottom.)
- The dough should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 80F.
- Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Ferment at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size (the length of time will depend on the room temperature).
- Remove the fermented dough from the bowl and divide it in half for sandwich loaves, into eighteen 2-ounce pieces for dinner rolls, or twelve 3-ounce pieces for burger or hot dog buns.
- Shape the pieces into boules (page 72) for loaves or tight rounds (page 82) for dinner rolls or buns.
- Mist the dough lightly with spray oil and cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
- Allow to rest for about 20 minutes.
- For loaves, shape as shown on page 81.
- Lightly oil two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and place the loaves in the pans.
- For rolls and buns, line 2 sheet pans with baking parchment.
- Rolls require no further shaping.
- For hamburger buns, gently press down on the rolls to form the desired shape.
- For hot dog buns, shape as shown on page 80, though without tapering the ends.
- Transfer the rolls or buns to the sheet pans.
- Mist the tops of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
- Proof the dough at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until it nearly doubles in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350F for loaves or 400F for roll and buns.
- Brush the rolls or buns with the egg wash and garnish with poppy or sesame seeds.
- Sandwich loaves also may be washed and garnished, or score them down the center and rub a little vegetable oil into the slit.
- Bake the rolls or buns for approximately 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown and register just above 180F in the center.
- Bake loaves for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through for even baking, if needed.
- The tops should be golden brown and the sides, when removed from the pan, should also be golden.
- The internal temperature of the loaves should be close to 190F, and the loaves should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
- When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing or serving.
- Rolls should cool for at least 15 minutes on a rack before serving.
- White Bread, Variation 1 %
- Bread flour: 100%
- Salt: 1.8%
- Powdered milk: 6.2%
- Sugar: 7.7%
- Instant yeast: 1%
- Egg: 7.7%
- Butter: 7.7%
- Water (approx.
- ): 62.8%
- Total: 194.9%
flour, salt, powdered milk, sugar, yeast, egg, butter, water, egg, sesame
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/variation-1-392153 (may not work)