Pioneer Bread Recipes

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.

SALT-RISING BREAD, OR PIONEER BREAD RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• The night before you wish to do your baking: Put cornmeal in a pint jar. Add a pinches of salt and soda. Add sugar. Add enough hot water to fill the jar. Stir well. Cover with a lid and let stand overnight in a warm place. The next morning, combine of milk, cornmeal mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt and flour. Stir well to make a stiff batter. Cover and place the entire bowl in a container of warm water and set in a warm place. You will likely have to drain some of the water off and replace with warmer water on a continuing basis. Try to hold the temperature as constant as possible. It will take 3 to 4 hours to rise. If it is very slow in rising, you can stir it again, then place the bowl back in the warm water. When the dough rises, combine 1 teaspoon salt, shortening and flour enough to make a stiff dough. Knead 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 3 loaves. Grease the sides of the loaf pans well with butter, then place the loaves in pans and let rise until they are doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. When the bread has finished baking, grease the crust heavily with butter as soon as you remove from the oven.

PIONEER BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a greased 1-qt. baking dish. In a saucepan, heat milk, sugar, butter and salt over low heat just until butter melts. In a bowl, beat eggs; whisk in warm milk mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour over bread. Place baking dish in a shallow pan of hot water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 in from the edge comes out clean. For the lemon sauce, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. stir in water and lemon zest; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in butter, lemon juice and food coloring. Serve warm or cold with the pudding. Refrigerate leftovers.

ROASTED GARLIC AND FOUR-CHEESE PULL-APART BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Put the garlic cloves on a square of heavy foil, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Wrap it up and bake until the garlic is golden, nutty and mushy, about 1 hour. Let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the garlic together with the 4 cheeses, chives, crushed red pepper flakes and some black pepper in a bowl.
• Cut the bread in strips in one direction, being careful not to cut all the way through the loaf. Rotate the bread 90 degrees and cut in the other direction. Stuff the cheese mixture in between the rows. Drizzle the melted butter all over the top.
• Wrap in foil and bake for 25 minutes. Open up the foil and bake until the cheese is hot and bubbly, another 10 minutes. Serve immediately.