Shaker Loaf Food

SHAKER LOAF

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• With mixer on low speed, gradually add milk, butter, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix in flour, about 1 cup at a time, and mix on medium speed until combined. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a large, buttered bowl, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth. Shape dough into a 9-inch-long log. Place in prepared loaf pan, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bake until top is golden brown and bread is cooked through, about 50 minutes. Unmold onto a wire rack; let cool.

LEMON TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter and flour a 9 by 5 inch, 3-inch deep loaf pan.
• To make the bread, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and juice, salt, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Fold in the creme fraiche, flour, and baking powder. Gently fold in the melted butter, mixing just until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
• To make the frosting, sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and salt, and stir until smooth. Adjust the sweetness by adding more lemon juice or more sugar as required. Drizzle the frosting over the warm bread and allow to set before serving.

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.