easy white bread
Every week I go through at least two loaves of store bought bread for my four kids. We make sandwiches for school lunch, toast for breakfast, and bread and butter for snacks. I have tried some store bought gluten free bread without much luck. Kids are sensitive to the texture. If they had not eaten store bought glutenous bread first, then it would have been a no-brainer. For those of you parents trying to switch your kids to healthier choices, you understand my challenges. This led me to my decision to make everything I can at home. Home made bread (even with gluten) is still a healthier option for my kids then store bought products full of preservatives and folic acid. This recipe makes two loaves of bread which would have been perfect for one week of school lunches and breakfast. However, the kids loved it so much that I ended up making another batch mid week. This recipe is easy and delicious. I used 12.7% gluten all purpose flour. You can play with the gluten content but I would not try gluten free with this recipe as it may not rise correctly and be a good texture.
Ingredients
2 packets of Instant Dry Yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 2/3 cup warm water
1/4 natural granulated sugar
1 tbsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter
9-10 cups all purpose flout (12% gluten)
Preparation
In the bowl of a mixer, stir to dissolve the yeast in ¾ cup of the warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2⅔ cups water, sugar, salt, room temperature butter, and 5 cups of the flour and stir to combine.
Continue to add in the flour until the dough can be turned out onto a surface. Continue to knead until a soft ball of dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and turn it over so it is completely coated. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Gently press it all over to remove any air pockets. Divide the dough in two and, working with one piece at a time, gently pat it into a 9x12-inch rectangle. Roll up the rectangle, starting on the short end, into a very tight cylinder. Pinch to seal the seams and the ends, tuck the ends of the roll until the bread, and place into greased 9-inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves loosely and place in a draft-free area until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes.
Place in oven at 375 degrees
Brush loaves with melted butter and bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown
Remove from the oven and immediately brush with more of the melted butter. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely before slicing. The bread can be stored in an airtight bread bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
*courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker
