RICH WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Scald milk, stir in sugars and butter or oil. Cool to 110 degrees, stir in yeast. Allow to set for 10 minutes until foamy. Add eggs, stir. 3 medium eggs is fine.
• 2. In mixing bowl, stir together 2 3/4 cup flour and salt. Slowing add liquid. Beat until batter is smooth with paddle or spoon. about 2 minutes on medium. Scrape bowl occasionally.
• 3. Add more flour, a little at a time mixing in between additions. until dough leaves sides of bowl. Remove from bowl and set onto lightly floured board. Cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. I just leave it in the bowl for 10 minutes.
• 4. Knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes. I use my kitchen aid and knead until it is smooth as a babies bottom. Round up into ball and place in lightly greased bowl turning over to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• 5. Punch down, cover and let rise again until almost double, about 30 minutes. Remove from bowl, shape into a ball and divide in half.
• 6. To shape loaves, take one of the halves, flatten dough into oblong shape pressing out all air. Work with closed fists with the back of fingers on dough. be sure to get the edges and any air pockets. Try to not rip or tear the dough or punch holes. Lift dough by ends and pull, slapping the dough on the table to elongate. Fold one end up and roll tightly as for a jelly roll than roll back and forth to tighten roll. The better job you do rolling this tightly (within reason), the better your bread slices will hold together. Seal ends, place into greased 9x5x3" glass bread pan with seal down.
• 7. Cover and let rise until dough reaches top of pan and top is rounded above pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until bread sounds hallow. We like the softer crust the lower temp provides. The richness of this dough also leads me to a lower temp choice. Each oven it different, be sure to check to see if it is done, pull loaf out of pan to see if it is golden brown. Feel free to spread a little butter on the top when you take it out of the oven if you like. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.
• 8. Original recipe bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes 1 cup milk 2T sugar 2 T lard or shortening 2 pkgs yeast 1/2 c water 110-115 degrees 2 eggs 5 1/2-6 cups all purpose flour. scald milk, stir in sugar, salt and lard, cool to lookwarm sprinkle yeast on warm water, stir, add yeast, eggs and 2 3/4 cup flour to milk. Continue as I have above.