Best Basic White Bread Recipes

BASIC WHITE BREAD (KITCHENAID)

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups flour. Attach bowl and dough hook. Turn to speed 2 and mix 1 minute. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.
• Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.
• When using for bierocks, after dough rises first time, cut dough in 12 pieces. roll each piece into a circle. Fill with hamburger cabbage filling ( I use recipe #50809).
• Spoon the filling in the middle of the circle then pinch the edges together and fold the ends in and place on greased baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse ground pepper and salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack.

BASIC WHITE BREAD (FOR BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• For Bread Measure ingredients in order listed into baking pan Insert baking pan into unit and close lid Select BASIC setting and choose REGULAR or DARK crust.
• Push start button.
• (15 minute delay before mixing begins) Timer will signal when baking cycle is complete.
• Using pot holders, remove baking pan from unit and carefully turn bread out of baking pan.
• Allow to cool before slicing.
• For Buns: Prepare bread recipe and use DOUGH setting When cycle ends, divide dough in to 16 small or 24 medium equal pieces.
• Roll into balls and place on greased baking sheet.
• Cover and let rise until double in size about 50 minutes.
• Bake at 375 degrees (preheated) for 20 minutes.

BASIC WHITE BREAD 1 1/2 LB LOAF

Steps:

• 1. Place the water into the bread machine pan.
• 2. Add sugar and oil to water and stir to dissolve sugar. Add yeast to the water and stir to dissolve.
• 3. Allow the yeast to foam for 10 minutes.
• 4. Mix together flour and salt and add to bread machine pan.
• 5. Select the dough cycle and press start and allow to complete full cycle including first rise.
• 6. Always check your dough mid way through the kneading cycle and adjust with either water or flour for proper consistency. The dough will sometimes have to be adjusted due to humidity, temperature, and variations in flour.
• 7. Spray an 8 ½" x 4 ½" bread pan with cooking spray.
• When dough cycle is complete transfer dough to lightly floured surface and gently deflate.
• Knead 6 or 8 times, turning 90 degrees each time.
• Shape the dough into an 8" log.
• Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with parchment paper or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for 45 to 60 minutes or until ripe. Dough is ready to bake when your index finger pressed into the dough up to first joint leaves a mark that rebounds slowly. It will rise pretty high using a 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" pan. Towards the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Brush with half the melted butter. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's light golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with a digital thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf).
• Remove the bread from the oven. Brush with remaining melted butter. Remove from pan and cool it on a rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

RAPID BASIC WHITE BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Follow directions for your bread machine.
• Instructions for my machine are: Add all ingredients to the baking pan in the order listed. (I mix the water and powdered milk and microwave them on high for 30 seconds before puting in the pan).
• Insert the baking pan into the oven chamber and secure pan.
• Select rapid bake setting and 2-pound loaf.
• Turn on machine.
• When cycle is complete, I put the loaf into a large zip lock bag, seal the bag, and put it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

BASIC WHITE BREAD FOR BREAD MACHINE ABM

Steps:

• If you have to proof the yeast first, proof it in the sugar and water in the bread machine's basin for 10-15 minutes or until foamy; then mix the other ingredients together and pop it in for the Basic Medium or Basic White cycle.
• If not, just throw everything in, hit the Basic Medium or Basic White cycle for a 1-lb capacity, and kick back and let the machine do its work! The 1-lb loaf yields about 10 large slices.
• For 1.5-lb loaf, use 1 cup water, 3 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3 cups bread flour (3 TB vital wheat gluten + 3 cups AP flour) and 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast.
• For 2-lb loaf, use 1 1/3 cups water, 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 4 cups bread flour (4 TB vital wheat gluten + 4 cups AP flour), and 1 tablespoon active dry yeast.

BASIC SOFT WHITE SANDWICH LOAF BREAD

Steps:

• Make the sponge. In a mixer bowl or other large bowl, combine the flour, water, honey, and instant yeast. Whisk until very smooth, to incorporate air, about 2 minutes. The sponge will be the consistency of a thick batter, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Make the flour mixture and add to the sponge. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (reserve 1/4 cup if mixing by hand), dry milk, and instant yeast. Sprinkle this on top of the sponge and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow it to ferment for 1 to 4 hours at room temperature. (During this time, the sponge will bubble through the flour blanket in places: this is fine).
• Mix the dough.
• HAND METHOD.
• Add the salt and butter to the bowl and, with a wooden spoon or with your hand, stir until all the flour is moistened. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together, then scrape it onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, enough to develop the gluten structure a little, adding as little of the reserved flour as possible to keep the dough from sticking. Use a bench scraper to scrape the dough and gather it together as you knead it. At this point, it will be very sticky. Cover it with an inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. (This resting time will make the dough less sticky and easier to work with).
• Knead the dough for another 5 minutes or until it is very smooth and elastic. It should still be tacky enough to cling slightly to your fingers a little. If the dough is still very sticky, however, add some of the remaining reserved flour, or a little extra.
• Shape the dough and let it rise. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and cut it in half. Shape each piece into a loaf; the exact size is not important at this point. (A long side of the dough should be facing toward you). Dimple the dough with your fingers to deflate any large bubbles. Fold over the right side of the dough to a little past the center. Fold over hte left side of the dough to overlap it slightly. Press the center overlap section with the side of your hand to seal the dough. (If you have a lot of experiance shaping, you may prefer at this point to rotate the dough 90 degrees- a quarter turn). Starting at the top end of the dough, roll it over three or four times, until it reaches the bottom edge of the dough: with each roll, press with your thumbs to seal it and at the same time push it away from you slightly to tighten the outer skin. As you roll and press, the dough will become wider. If it is not as long as the pan, place both hands close together on top of the dough and, rolling back and fourth, gradually work your way towards the ends, gently stretching the dough. For the most even shape, it is important to keep a tight skin on the surface of the dough and not to tear it. If you want the edges of the loaf to be smooth, tuck the sides under. Place the loaves in the prepared loaf pans; the dough will be about 1/2 inch from the top of the pans. Cover them with a large container, or cover them loosely with oiled plastic wrap, and allow to rise until the center is about 1 inch above the sides of the pan, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When the dough is pressed with a fingertip, the depression will very slowly fill inches.
• Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F 45 minutes before baking. Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or a baking sheet on it, and a cast-iron skillet or sheet pan on the floor of the oven, before preheating.
• Bake the bread. Quickly but gently set the pans on the hot baking stone or hot baking sheet. Toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath and immediately shut the door. Bake for 50 minutes or until medium golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 210°F). Halfway through baking, turn the pans around for even baking.
• Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

WALTER SANDS BASIC WHITE BREAD, BREAD MACHINE VERSION

Steps:

• Put everything in the bread maker in the above order. I choose the dough setting, as I don't like to bake my bread in it. Let rise until doubled, it may take longer than the time allotted by the machine. Remove, form, put in a 9x5' bread pan. Cover with a damp towel or oiled cling wrap and let rise until it is an in to an inch and a half over the rim of the pan, about an hour.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through for even browning. Remove, turn out, let cool completely on a wire rack and offer to a friend.
• One footnote; I like to use hi-maize natural fiber as part of the flour, 1/3 cup, it makes white bread healthier, and you don't even know it is there!

BASIC WHITE BREAD FOR PANASONIC ABM

Steps:

• Weigh out flour and add to bread machine pan.
• Add rest of ingredients except for yeast.
• Add yeast to yeast receptacle.
• Choose rapid bake cycle and medium loaf.

SLOW COOKER BASIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup of water into crock pot and preheat the slow cooker/crock pot on High with the lid on.
• Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of the lukewarm water or milk with the sugar and set in a warm - not hot - place.
• Put the flour in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt.
• Make a well in the centre.
• When the yeast is bubbly, pour the rest of the water or milk, the yeast mixture, and the oil into the well.
• Stir with your fingers (I use a soup spoon) until all the flour has been absorbed.
• Grease a 2 quart mold and place the bread in it. (You can use a coffee can, a casserole dish or a loaf pan, whatever will fit inside your crockpot).
• Brush milk with a pastry brush over the top of the bread.
• Cover loosely with a plate and let stand for 5 minutes in a warm place.
• Place on a trivet in the slow cooker, cover the cooker, and bake on High for 2 to 3 hours.

2LB BASIC WHITE/FRENCH BREAD FROM BREADMAN

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to Bread Pan in the order given.

BASIC WHITE BREAD FOR KITCHENAID

Steps:

• Place milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 ½ cups flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute. Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly stick to the touch. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf, and place in greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½-inch baking pans. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

KITCHENAID KNEADED BASIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Add water, milk, sugar, honey, and oil to pot and warm to 120 degrees.
• Remove from heat, add yeast to mixture, stir until dissolved, and let foam, up to 10 minutes.
• In mixer, put in all flour and salt, leaving out just enough flour to very lightly flour your board.
• Once yeast mixture has foamed, add to flour and mix using bread hook for one minute on power setting 1.
• Move mixer to setting 2 and mix/knead another 9 minutes.
• Remove dough from mixer, roll lightly on board to shape into a somewhat smooth ball.
• Place dough in greased bowl, roll to coat, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, then set in warm place to rise until doubled (about 30 minutes).
• Once doubled, punch down and transfer dough back to mixer. Knead with bread hook another 3 - 5 minutes.
• Tightly roll loaf (look for directions on this site) and put in oiled bread pan.
• Lightly cover with plastic wrap and napkin and let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes.
• Put in preheated 375 degree oven (water bath optional) and bake 45 minutes.
• Cool on rack immediatly.

VERY BASIC EASY WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl combine flour yeast and salt Add water and stir until a stiff dough forms Turn dough out onto a floured surface.
• Knead until dough is smooth and elastic Lightly oil bowl and top of dough.
• Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough.
• Divide into two equal pieces.
• Shape and place in pans, cover and allow to rise until doubled.
• Set oven to 425 degrees Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

BASIC WHITE BREAD - JAMES BEARD

Steps:

• Proof yeast - 1/2 cup warm water, yeast, and sugar. Put 3.75 cups into mixing bowl, add salt and blend well. Top off the proofing mixture with warm water to 1.5 cups and stir into flour. Add warm water if needed until dough forms ball that breaks away from the sides of the bowl. Knead 5-10 minutes or until the dough springs back when poked. Form dough into ball and place in buttered mixing bowl and allow to double in size - approx 2 hours (until dough does not spring back when poked). Knead approx 3 minutes and place in oval shape on board. Allow to sit 5 minutes before forming into 8 inch loaf and place in loaf pan. Cover loaf pan and allow to rise again to double in size - approx 40 minutes to 1 hour. Set over to 400 degrees F. Prior to placing dough in over, cut 1/2 inch deep line in top of loaf (either one long ways or three across), and brush top of loaf with cold water Bake 35 minutes. Test at this point if loaf is done by knocking on top and removing loaf from pan and knocking on bottom. If it needs more baking, either place the loaf directly on the oven rack for a few more minutes (if it is almost done), or place back in the hot pan and place on over rack (if it needs significantly more baking). Allow loaf to cool 2 to 3 hours. To freeze, allow loaf to cool, seal in plastic bag, and store for up to 1 month. To reheat, wrap in foil and place in 350 degree F oven for 20-40 minutes.

BASIC WHITE BREAD DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast into a bowl with half of a cup of water. Stir to dissolve and leave for five minutes. Mix the flour and salt together in another bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the dissolved yeast.
• Form a paste, Cover the bowl with a towel and let the paste sponge (frothy, loose and expanded) for 20 minutes.
• Mix in the rest of the water until you get a firm, moist dough. Knead for about 10 minutes.
• Put the dough in a clean bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let it rise for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Punch down then let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Shape into a long loaf. Place onto a floured baking sheet and let it proof for 45 minutes.
• Slash the top and cook in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

BASIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select White Bread setting; press Start.

2LB BASIC WHITE FRENCH BREAD FROM BREADMAN RECIPE - HEALTHY.GENIUS KITCHEN

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to Bread Pan in the order given.

BASIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup of milk and 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat when the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl. Slowly pour yeast into bowl while stirring. Wait 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add sugar, salt, and 1 cup of warm water. Mix.Check the small saucepan of milk and butter. If the contents are warm to the touch, pour the liquid into the large bowl and mix. Pour the yeast water into the large bowl. Hot liquid, such as the milk you heated up, will kill the dry yeast and prevent the bread from rising.Begin mixing in the unbleached bread flour, one cup at a time. By the fifth cup of flour, the dough will begin to get stiff and it will be difficult to mix it with the wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a floured board and begin to knead the dough. Continue adding more flour and kneading the flour into the dough until the dough is smooth, not sticky.Next, grease a large bowl with butter. Put the bread dough into the bowl and then turn the dough over so that the top of the dough is now buttered. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature until double in size or about 1 hour.Punch down dough. Turn it out onto a floured board and knead out all the bubbles for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a loaf by rolling the dough into a rectangle. Roll the dough up like a jellyroll. Pinch seam closed. Pinch and tuck edges under the loaf.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter two loaf pans. Spread a light layer of yellow cornmeal on the loaf pans, if desired. Set loaves in pans, cover with kitchen towel, and allow to rise until double in size or for about a half hour.Bake bread for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bread from oven and turn out loaves onto a rack or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to cool before cutting.

MINI LOAF BASIC WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Add the water to the bread machine baking pan.
• Add the bread flour, sugar, dry milk, and butter into the baking pan.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the dry ingredients, but don't let it touch the water.
• Turn on the bread machine, lock baking pan in place, and set the bread machine to the basic bread setting. Hit start.