Fabulously Easy White Bread Food

EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix 500g strong white flour, 2 tsp salt and a 7g sachet of fast-action yeast in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the centre, then add 3 tbsp olive oil and 300ml water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add another 1-2 tbsp water and mix well.
• Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for around 10 mins.
• Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight.
• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Knock back the dough (punch the air out and pull the dough in on itself) then gently mould the dough into a ball.
• Place it on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Dust the loaf with some extra flour and cut a cross about 6cm long into the top of the loaf with a sharp knife.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a wire rack.

EASY STREAMLINED WHITE BREAD (NO KNEADING)

Steps:

• Using a large mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Add shortening, salt, sugar and half the flour.
• Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Add remaining flour and blend until smooth.
• Scrape batter off sides of bowl and cover with a cloth.
• Rise in warm place for 30 minutes, then beat 25 strokes by hand and spread evenly in a greased loaf pan.
• Smooth top with floured hand and let rise again until 1/4" from top of pan (about 40 minutes).
• Bake in preheated 375° oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until brown.

SIMPLE WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add remaining water, dry milk, oil, sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch the dough down, and divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 9 X 5 x 3 inch loaf pans. Grease the tops of the loaves, and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove bread from pans to cool on wire racks. Brush with melted butter or margarine.

EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Put the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the butter. Add the yeast at one side of the bowl and add the salt at the other, otherwise the salt will kill the yeast. Stir all the ingredients with a spoon to combine.
• Add half of the water and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to add water a little at a time, combining well, until you've picked up all of the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all of the water, or you may need to add a little more - you want a dough that is well combined and soft, but not sticky or soggy. Mix with your fingers to make sure all of the ingredients are combined and use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl. Keep going until the mixture forms a rough dough.
• Use about a teaspoon of oil to lightly grease a clean work surface (using oil instead of flour will keep the texture of the dough consistent). Turn out your dough onto the greased work surface (make sure you have plenty of space).
• Fold the far edge of the dough into the middle of the dough, then turn the dough by 45 degrees and repeat. Do this several times until the dough is very lightly coated all over in olive oil.
• Now use your hands to knead the dough: push the dough out in one direction with the heel of your hand, then fold it back on itself. Turn the dough by 90 degrees and repeat. Kneading in this way stretches the gluten and makes the dough elastic. Do this for about 4 or 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Work quickly so that the mixture doesn't stick to your hands - if it does get too sticky you can add a little flour to your hands.
• Clean and lightly oil your mixing bowl and put the dough back into it. Cover with a damp tea towel or lightly oiled cling film and set it aside to prove. This gives the yeast time to work: the dough should double in size. This should take around one hour, but will vary depending on the temperature of your room (don't put the bowl in a hot place or the yeast will work too quickly).
• Line a baking tray with baking or silicone paper (not greaseproof).
• Once the dough has doubled in size scrape it out of the bowl to shape it. The texture should be bouncy and shiny. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back by kneading it firmly to 'knock' out the air. Use your hand to roll the dough up, then turn by 45 degrees and roll it up again. Repeat several times. Gently turn and smooth the dough into a round loaf shape.
• Place the loaf onto the lined baking tray, cover with a tea towel or lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove until it's doubled in size. This will take about an hour, but may be quicker or slower depending on how warm your kitchen is.
• Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan assisted)/425F/Gas 7. Put an old, empty roasting tin into the bottom of the oven.
• After an hour the loaf should have proved (risen again). Sprinkle some flour on top and very gently rub it in. Use a large, sharp knife to make shallow cuts (about 1cm/½in deep) across the top of the loaf to create a diamond pattern.
• Put the loaf (on its baking tray) into the middle of the oven. Pour a little water into the empty roasting tray at the bottom of the oven just before you shut the door - this creates steam which helps the loaf develop a crisp and shiny crust.
• Bake the loaf for about 30 minutes.
• The loaf is cooked when it's risen and golden. To check, take it out of the oven and tap it gently underneath - it should sound hollow. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Whisk water, sugar and yeast together. Allow to stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt.
• With the mixer running, add the water and allow to knead in.
• Add the butter or oil, allow to knead in then add more flour, one third cup at a time until the dough is smooth.
• Knead for another minuted until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
• If the dough is still very sticky, add more flour and knead in.
• The dough should be smooth and soft and only a slight bit sticky.
• Cover with plastic or a damp tea towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
• Once the dough has proofed, press it into rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll onto its self into a log, pinch the seam then transfer to a loaf pan that has been lightly greased.
• Covere again and allow to rise for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Place in the oven and allow to bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown and risen. Once baked the bread will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Remove, brush with a little butter and allow to cool before slicing.

FABULOUSLY EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix shortening, salt, and sugar in a large bowl for about 2 minutes.
• Do not worry if the shortening does not completely melt, but make a good attempt.
• Add the hot milk and water.
• Let cool to lukewarm.
• In a small bowl, mix yeast with 1/4 cup water.
• Let stand 5 minutes.
• Add 3 cups flour and yeast all at once and mix until well blended.
• Add 2 more cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing until blended well.
• Pour dough onto lightly floured board.
• (It will not actually"pour," so scrape out remnants with a spatula or potlicker.) Knead for two minutes with floured hands.
• Let rest for ten minutes.
• Dough will be very sticky.
• Adding enough of the remaining flour to keep the dough from sticking, knead the dough until smooth, elastic, and pliable (about 8-10 minutes.) Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, turning once to grease.
• Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down and let rise to previous size and perhaps a little bigger (about 30-45 minutes.) Split dough into two halves.
• Place each half in a loaf pan and cover.
• Allow to rise until doubled in bulk (anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours) Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cover in a cloth.
• Change oven heat to 375 and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven and immediately remove from pan.
• Knock lightly on the bottom of the loaf.
• If a hollow sound is made, bread is done.
• If not, return to the pan and bake 5-15 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
• Notes for great crusts: For a hard, crisp crust, brush the top with cold water three or four times while baking.
• For a soft crust, brush with cold milk or melted butter before baking.
• For a shiny crust, brush a mixture of egg yolk and one tbsp milk on bread before baking.

EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Blend dry ingredients, rub in shortening. Add warm water (40°C, 105°F), mix until smooth.
• Cover with moist cloth, stand in warm place 30 - 40 minutes.
• Knock down, knead lightly. Cut to size required, cover with moist cloth, stand for 10 minutes.
• Knead well, mould to the required shape. Place in greased tin or on greased tray.
• Cover wtih a damp cloth and let the bread rise in a draft-free place until 2 - 3 times its original size. Brush lightly with milk, beated egg or shortening.
• Bake in oven (230°C, 450°F) until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
• NORMAL BAKING TIMES: White bread 25-30 minutes.
• Usually, at 25 minutes, I take the bread out of the tins and return the bread to the oven for a further 5 minutes This browns the bread nicely, all over.

FABULOUS HONEY WHITE BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Place ingredients in bread pan in order specified by your manual.
• Use the white bread and light crust setting.
• Press start.
• Your dough should be slightly tacky to the touch and soft when you press down on it, like playdoe when you first open it. If too dry add warm milk 1 teaspoon at a time. If too wet add white flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.

BEST EVER WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in the bread machine pan.
• Select "Dough" cycle.
• When the machine beeps, remove the dough from the machine and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down and roll up jelly-roll-style into a cylinder, tucking ends under to seal. Place seam side down in prepared loaf pan.
• Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Bake loaf until browned, abou 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove to rack to cool.
• Note: If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.