Baking Bread

Yeast used to intimidate me. Just everything about it. Using the right temperature to activate it, waiting hours for it to rise. Then after the first rise, you let it rise again. Then hoping that it doesn't fall during the baking process. It just seems like this long, scary ordeal. But despite all of that, I tried making bread a few weeks ago... and it turned out fine! I used King Arthur Flour's recipe for their classic white sandwich bread, and it was a hit with my family. 

  

I placed all the ingredients (recipe listed below) in my stand mixer, and after it reached the right consistency, I stuck it in an 8 cup pitcher and covered with a tea towel.

  

Here it is after it's first rise. The pitcher really helped me see when the dough doubled in size.

 

Once doubled, I gently punched it down and shaped it into a loaf. I covered it with a towel and let it rise one more time. After it's final rise, I baked it off in the oven. My house smelled fantastic and the bread was so, so delicious. I can't wait to try out more recipes!

Classic White Sandwich Bread

recipe from King Arthur Flour

1 1/3 to 1/12 cups of lukewarm water

1 heaping tablespoon of honey

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons soft butter

4 cups AP Flour

1/3 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk granules

Mix all the ingredients in the order listed, and mix and knead - by hand or using a stand mixer - to make a smooth dough. It won't be particularly soft or stiff, it should be smooth and feel bouncy and elastic under your hands.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup. Cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's become quite puffy, though not necessarily doubled in size.

Gently deflate the dough and shape into a fat 9" log. Place in a lightly greased 9x5 loaf pan. 

Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's crowned 1" to 1 1/2" over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350.

Bake bread for 20 minutes. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, till it's golden brown. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center will read 195 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the bread from oven and turn it out onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.

Extras

-I used SAF Instant Yeast

-My dough rose pretty quickly and under the recommended times. It didn't affect the final result.

-I started off using the smaller amount of water. It was a bit humid that day, so I knew it would affect my dough.

-I lined the pan with parchment paper. This made it easy to lift the loaf out after it finished baking.