Moms Yeast Bread Recipes

YEAST BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. You can make the bread by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook to speed up the process.
• Place the dried yeast in a small jug, add the sugar, and 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water. Stir and put to one side. Keep checking the jug and within 10 minutes, it should be bubbling and foamy. If it is not, leave a little longer, the speed is often dependent on the ambient air temperature; on a cold day, it can take longer.
• Put the flour and butter into a large baking bowl. Add the salt and once the yeast is foaming, add this to the bowl and gently stir with a spoon until everything is combined.
• Add half the remaining lukewarm water and mix with your fingers, then gradually add more water a little at a time until you have a soft but not sticky dough. The precise amount of water you will need depends on several things, including the flour you are using, sometimes even the weather. The most important thing is to stop once the dough once it is as described above.
• Now is the time to knead the dough . You can use a stand mixer for 6 to 8 minutes or knead on the work surface as follows. Gather the dough into a ball and fold it in half towards you. Press down and away from you firmly, but lightly with the heels of your hands. Turn dough 1/4 turn and repeat process. Do this for about 4 or 5 minutes, working quickly until the dough is smooth and stretchy. It is ready when it is soft and pliable without any stickiness.
• Using a little olive oil, lightly grease a clean mixing bowl and put the dough in. Cover the bowl with a towel and set in a warm spot to proof , this will take about an hour. Once doubled, press fingers gently into the dough and the indentation will remain when you remove your fingers.
• Line a baking sheet with either a silicone mat or paper. Scrape the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knock out the air by quickly kneading for a few turns. Once flattened, roll up the dough, turn 45 degrees, and roll up again. Do this twice more the gently smooth the dough into a loaf shape.
• Put the loaf onto the baking tray, cover again with a damp towel, and leave to prove for another hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F.
• Remove the cloth, sprinkle a little flour over the surface of the bread, and ever so gently rub it in with losing any air or height from the loaf. With a thin, sharp knife, slash the surface, no more than a quarter-inch deep, 3 or 4 times, then criss-cross the opposite creating a diamond pattern.
• Bake in the center of the hot oven for 30 minutes until beautifully risen and golden brown. You will know the bread is cooked when it makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Note: If you want a crustier loaf, read the notes below on adding steam to your oven.
• Remove from the oven and leave to go cold on a cooling rack. Eats with lots of butter and enjoy. The bread is best eaten fresh the day it is made, though it does make delicious toast. The loaf also freezes well, defrost slowly overnight in the fridge when you want to eat it.

MOM'S YEAST BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in large bowl. This usually takes about 5 minutes. If you don't see any bubbles/foaming, your yeast is dead, start over.
• Add the milk, Crisco, salt, wheat germ, vital wheat gluten, and about 4 cups flour. I usually heat the milk and Crisco in the microwave so the Crisco melts, and the milk gets warm all in one step.
• Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball, and starts leaving the sides of the bowl.
• Knead the bread, adding flour as needed until the dough is smooth and elastic. I usually knead about 3-5 minutes.
• Let bread rise in a covered bowl in a warm place until double in size (about 30-60 minutes).
• Punch down and form into loaves or rolls and place in a greased and floured pan.
• Let rise about 30 minutes more. Bake at 425 degrees 25-30 minutes, or till the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• Remove from pans and place on racks to cool.
• Butter tops while still warm, if desired. Cool completely before wrapping.

MOM'S YEAST ROLLS

Steps:

• Melt margarine in hot water. Add sugar and salt and stir. Add cold water and yeast. Stir to dissolve yeast.
• Add 3 cups flour and mix. Add eggs and 2 1/2 - 3 cups more flour. Mix, cover and let rise until dough doubles in size.
• Punch down and let rise 30 more minutes or until doubles.
• Make walnut size balls of dough. Place about 2 inches apart in well-buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30-45 minutes. Brush top of rolls with margarine while hot.

WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and 2 cups warm water in a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the butter, sugar and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir in one-third of the flour until smooth. Add another third of the flour and stir, then turn it out onto a floured board to knead. Knead it over 15 minutes, adding the rest of the flour as you knead. Don't let it get dry too fast; it should stay sticky. Put the dough in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour.
• Knead the dough another 5 minutes, place it back in the bowl and let it rise another hour.
• Butter 2 loaf pans. Shape the dough into 2 loaves and transfer them to the prepared pans. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the loaves until golden brown on top and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool.

MOM'S HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD ROLLS (OR LOAVES)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 2 Tablespoons sugar in 1/4 cup warm water, set aside.
• Microwave 2 cups water, shortening and salt, until the shortening melts.
• Stir this mixture until it completely dissolves.
• Start adding flour about 2 cups to start to this mixture, just a little at a time so that it stays smooth and doesn't get lumpy.
• Then add yeast mixture, mix well.
• Continue adding flour and then turn out on floured surface and knead in remaining flour, until no longer tacky.
• Grease a large bowl or pan with vegetable oil.
• Put the bread in this bowl cover and let it rise.
• If you use a fast acting yeast it should take about 45 minutes.
• Turn out on the counter and fold in sides, put back in bowl and let rise again.
• After the second rising it is time to turn it out and make the rolls or bread and place it in a pan.
• Make sure the pan is well oiled with vegetable oil.
• Place them in the pan (pans) and let rise one last time and then bake them at 375°F oven until done, about 20 minutes or so.

MOM'S ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make 4 shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.