Classic White Loaf Recipes

CLASSIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons honey. Whisk until yeast dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle or dough-hook attachment. Add butter and remaining 1 3/4 cups water and 3 tablespoons honey. Whisk flour with salt; add 3 cups to yeast. Mix on low speed until smooth. Add remaining 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes away from sides of bowl and forms a ragged, slightly sticky ball. Butter a large bowl.
• Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to prepared bowl; cover with plastic wrap.
• Let dough stand in a warm place until it doubles in volume (it should not spring back when pressed), about 1 hour. Butter two 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pans. Punch down dough; divide in half.
• Shape 1 dough half into an 8 1/2-inch-long rectangle (about 1/2 inch thick). Fold long sides of dough in to middle, overlapping slightly. Press seam to seal. Transfer dough, seam side down, to pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush each loaf with butter, or dust with flour for a rustic look. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drape loaves with plastic. Let stand until dough rises about 1 inch above tops of pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake, rotating pans after 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.

CLASSIC WHITE BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Place warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Sprinkle yeast and sugar over water in bowl. Let sit until yeast begins to bubble and foam in bowl.
• Add 2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed with the paddle attachment and let mix for 2 minutes.
• Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes on low. Add remaining 3/4 cup of bread flour, a little at a time, just until dough is no longer shiny and wet.
• Scrape down sides of bowl again. Spray sides of the bowl with cooking spray and cover the bowl with Saran wrap. Place in a warm draft free place* to rise about 20 minutes.
• Turn oven on to 375 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Grease a 8.5x4.5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
• When the dough has risen for about 20-30 mins, sprinkle a little flour on top and turn the dough a couple of times in the bowl so it is not sticky. Form into a loaf shape and place in the pan.
• Let rise again for about 20-30 minutes or until the dough is level with the top of the pan.
• Carefully place in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until top is golden.
• Remove from oven let cool in pan for a few minutes then transfer loaf to a cooling rack. Brush with butter while still warm.

CLASSIC WHITE LOAF

Steps:

• Make the dough by tipping the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl and making a well in the middle. Pour in most of the water and use your fingers or a wooden spoon to mix the flour and water together until combined to a slightly wet, pillowy, workable dough - add a splash more water if necessary. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 mins until smooth and elastic. This can also be done in a tabletop mixer with a dough hook. Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Knock back the dough by tipping it back onto a floured surface and pushing the air out. Mould the dough into a rugby ball shape that will fit a 900g loaf tin and place in the tin. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 30 mins. Dust the top of the loaf with a little more flour and slash the top with a sharp knife if you want. Bake the bread for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and continue to bake for 30 mins until the loaf sounds hollow when removed from the tin and tapped on the base. Leave the bread on a wire rack to cool completely. The loaf will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3 days or can be frozen for 1 month.

RECIPES

Steps:

• Step 1:MIX Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Using your fingertips rub in the butter until only fine 'crumbs' are left. Mix in the water with a cutlery knife.How to make white bread by allinsonStep 2:KNEAD Tip onto a lightly flour dusted surface and knead for 10 minutes (or use the dough hook attachment on your mixer for 5 minutes). How to knead doughStep 3:RISELightly grease the mixing bowl with some oil. Put the dough back in, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size.Step 4:SHAPEKnock back the dough by gently kneading just 5 times to get the air out. Mould into a smooth oval and lift into a lightly oiled 900g/2lb loaf tin.Step 5:PROVECover the dough again with a clean tea towel and leave to prove until doubled in size again. Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C, gas mark 6).Step 6:BAKELift the tin onto the middle oven shelf and bake for 30-35 minutes, until you can lift the bread loaf from the tin and when you tap the base it sounds hollow. Cool on a wire rack.

TRADITIONAL WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Stir in lard, salt and two cups of the flour. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

GOLD MEDAL™ CLASSIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
• Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
• Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
• Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.

CLASSIC WHITE LOAF

Steps:

• Tip the flour, yeast and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in just under 350ml lukewarm water and use your fingers or a wooden spoon to mix the flour mixture and water together - you should have a slightly wet, pillowy, workable dough, so add a splash more water if needed.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 mins, or until smooth and elastic. Or, do this in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook for 3-5 mins. Put the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove until doubled in size, about 1-2 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Knock back the dough by tipping it back onto the floured surface and pushing the air out with the palms of your hands. Form the dough into a ball, transfer to a baking sheet, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove again for 40-45 mins, or until roughly doubled in size again.
• Dust the top of the loaf with a little flour and slash a cross into the top with a sharp knife, if you like. Bake for 15 mins, then reduce the heat to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake for 30 mins more until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the underside. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days or frozen for a month.

CLASSIC MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, pour milk over bread. Add egg, onion, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; mix thoroughly. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape meat mixture into an 8x4-in. oval. , Bake in a shallow pan at 350° for 1-1/4 hours or until no pink remains. Drain.

CLASSIC WHITE SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine water and 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Sprinkle yeast and pinch of sugar over liquid and stir. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minute.
• Combine remaining milk, butter and 2 tbs sugar, salt and 2 cups flour in large bowl and mix until creamy. I mix everything by hand but you can use a mixer on med-low for about 1 minute.
• Add yeast mixture and one cup of flour and mix by hand or beat with mixer.
• Mix or beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away then switch to kneading until all the flour is mixed in, until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer the dough to an oiled deep bowl and turn the dough once to coat it.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Lightly grease two 9X5 loaf pans.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and divide in half.
• Pat each half into a long rectangle.
• Fold one rectangle like a letter, overlapping the short sides into the middle. Press to flatten.
• Beginning at the narrow end, roll the dough into a log and roll the log until it is the same length as the loaf pan.
• Pinch the ends and along the seam to seal and place in loaf pan seam side down.
• Repeat folding with other half of dough.
• Cover loosely with plastic and let rise until dough is about 1 inch above pan about 1 hour.
• Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees F until loaves are golden brown and pull away from the edge of the pans, about 40 minutes.
• Turn onto racks and let cool completely.