Familybread Recipes

FAMILY BREAD

Steps:

• Using a very large bowl, mix the water, dry milk powder and sugar. Add the yeast, sort of sprinkled on top. Allow the mixture to sit until the yeast dissolves some, this should only take a couple of minutes. Add the salt, margarine or oil, and flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until it gets too stiff and then dig in with your hands. When the dough is in a nice cohesive ball, turn it out onto a floured kitchen table or counter.
• Knead the dough for 10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary as you go along.
• Coat the dough with oil, about 2 tablespoons of it, and put it into the bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and let it set in a warm place to rise for about an hour or so. It should double in bulk. It may take up to two hours on cool days, or in the air conditioning, so be patient.
• Punch down the dough by literally pressing your fist into the center of it. Divide the dough into 4 equal lumps. Coax them into loaf shapes and place them into large (9- by 5-inch) well oiled loaf pans. Cover the dough with a clothor more plastic wrap and let it rise again. It should take less time for the second rising. en the dough is risen up enough, bake the loaves at 350F for about 40 inutes.
• You can tell the bread is done by thumping the bottom with your finger. If it doesn't make a dull, hollow sound, put it back into the pan a bake a short while longer.

HOMESTEAD ULTIMATE BREAD

Steps:

• In a kitchen-aide type mixer, place 2 cups bread flour, your hot water ( not boiling), and your yeast. Mix to combine, then allow this to sponge for 15 minutes.
• Once your sponge is complete, add the rest of your flour, salt, honey and oil. Mix well to combine, then set your mixer to knead for 10 minutes.
• After kneading allow your dough to rest for 10 minutes.
• Spray 2 bread pans with cooking spray, or lightly grease by hand.
• Flour your hands and scrape the dough from your mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface. (Don't add more flour to the dough at this point).
• Spit dough in half as close as you can. Take each half and knead into the shape of log just under the length of the bread pans. Set loaves into oiled pans. Spray tops with cooking spray.
• Allow dough to rise in the bread pans for 50 minutes (or until double in size) in a warm spot. Preheat oven to 350° for 10 more minutes, allowing bread to continue to rise while the oven heats.
• Place pans into preheated oven and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
• Remove pans from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Then rub butter all over tops of each loaf. Remove loaves from pans and rub butter on all sides. Set loaves on a clean kitchen towel or wax paper to cool completely. (must let cool completely in order to slice easily).
• Slice bread and place your slices into airtight bags. I got 14 nice sized slices per loaf. Enjoy!