Recipilicious

Well, I’ve been trying to make sandwich bread for a LONG time, but it never turns out the way I’d like it.  Finally, this recipe worked! Still, there is definitely room for improvement in this recipe.

Above: with bread pan

Below: without bread pan

Makes 3 loaves.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp yeast
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 cups warm water
• 9 cups flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter, shortening, or oil

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the 1 tbsp sugar, yeast, and 1 cup of warm water. Let set for 10 minutes (important!)
2. Mix the yeast in well. Then add the 2 cups of water, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and butter or oil.  Mix together.  Mix in 3 cups of flour, one cup at at a time.
3. Place dough on floured surface, knead well, until dough becomes elastic.
4. After kneading, put the dough in a large oiled bowl and flip to oat both sides with oil.  Loosely cover bown with plastic wrap or a towel and place in a warm area (it it’s cold, I heat my oven and then shut it off trapping some heat inside and place my dough in there). Let rise for 1 hour.
5. Punch down to remove air bubbles and divide into three loaves.
6. Shape loaves and put into greased loaf pans.
7. Cover pans with dishtowels and place in a warm area for another hours.  Loaves should double in size.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Bread is done when it turns golden brown and hollow when tapped.  Remove from pans and cool on a cooling rack.