white bread

I have always wanted to make bread, to have homemade bread at home. It's been a long time since i did my cooking school training and bread just wasn't one of the things i had the chance to make often. So i decided to start now, while i have the time, to experiment with it.

My husband just loves home cooking. He is a meat and three veg kinda guy. SO when he came home and i had fresh white bread and slow cooker beef stew for dinner he was wrapt! Simple and delicious.

On top of that, i was so very happy it turned out! I remember trying back in the day and not having the desired results everytime. YAY =)
I used THIS RECIPE for starters. Thinking that a site using the same yeast as me would help, in my mind anyways, hehe. I only used 2 tsp of sugar NOT the 3 tbsp as quoted. That's too much for a regular loaf if you ask me. And i used the Active Yeast not the RapidRise.

So pleased was i when all the hard work turned out like this:

The one thing i've found since living here in Canada is, there is an high sugar content in a lot of the shop bought breads. I can taste it. In Australia there is a limit on how much sugar you can put in commercial breads, i remember years ago when even McDonalds had to stop putting so much sugar in their buns! So This way i get to make sure it is JUST bread we are eating and as much as i love white bread it's no good for my waistline, so i'll experiment with wholewheat and grains for myself. Hubby however, wants the white, loves it. Oh and raisin bread...mmmmm!

The recipe revised as i used it:

Makes 2 Loaves

5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions

Place 1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°F) in a large warm bowl.
Sprinkle in yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir.
Let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy on top.

In a large bowl rub butter into sugar, salt and 5 cups flour.
Add remaining water and milk.
Mix well using the medium speed of an electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Or by hand.
Stir in extra flour to make a soft dough, if needed.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Divide into two.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Punch dough down.
Roll each half to 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Or whatever you would like to make.
Beginning at short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for jelly roll.
Pinch seams and ends to seal.
Place, seam sides down, in greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pans.
Cover; let rise in warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 200°C = 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Turn half way to get an even colouring.
Cover tops loosely with foil if they are getting too dark and the bread isn’t ready.
Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.