Best Whitloaf Recipes

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.

HOMEMADE BREAD (HOMEMADE WHITE BREAD)

Steps:

• Place the water in the mixer bowl of your stand mixer.
• Stir in the honey to dissolve, and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Gently stir to mix.
• Allow the yeast to sit in a warm place for about 15 minutes, until it's activated and becomes frothy. This could take longer if your yeast was in the freezer. If the yeast doesn't activate (no frothy bubbles), then your yeast is likely too old and you will need it replaced with fresh yeast.
• Once the yeast is activated, you're ready to make the bread dough.
• To the proofed yeast mixture, add the flour, warm water, salt, honey, citric acid and melted butter.
• Using a dough whisk or a spatula, mix the ingredients to form a rough dough.
• Place the bowl in the mixer with a kneading hook attached, and knead the dough on low speed for about 2-5 minutes, until the dough comes together to form a ball.
• Increase the speed by 1 level (speed 3 in a kitchen aid mixer) and knead the dough for a further 12-15 minutes until it's smooth and elastic.
• While the dough is kneading, check on it every few minutes to make sure it's kneading well, and is not too dry or too wet.
• If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, then it's too wet, so add a little extra flour (a dusting at a time), to get the right texture. To check if it's at the right consistency - lift the kneading hook from the bowl, and check if the dough only sticks to the bottom of the bowl. If yes, then the moisture is perfect. If the dough isn't sticking to the bottom of the bowl however, you may need to add a little extra water (just ½ tsp at a time), to get the right consistency. The dough should be smooth, a little soft and a little tacky to the touch.
• Once the dough is kneaded, remove the dough hook and fold the dough over a few times by hand, to get a smooth ball. Then place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough proof for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
• While the dough is proofing, prepare the bread loaf pan. Butter 1 - 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside, until the dough is ready.
• Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently press the dough into an evenly thick rectangle. The short side of this rectangle should be roughly about 8 - 8.5 inches (i.e. slightly shorter than the length of your bread loaf pan).
• Next, tightly roll up the short side, along the length of the dough rectangle. Make sure to pinch/press the edge of the dough as you go, while rolling it up (read the post and see pictures for more details).
• Once the dough is rolled up, pinch the seams to seal it, and tuck in the two sides and pinch these seams as well. Make sure all the seams are on one side (this will be the bottom) and the other side is smooth and seam-free (this will be the top).
• Transfer this into the prepared loaf pan, seam side down, and press the dough into the pan. Make sure it's evenly pressed into the bottom of the pan. Loosely cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap and let it proof again in a warm place, for about 45 minutes - 1 hour.
• The top of the dough should rise about 1 inch above the rim of your bread loaf pan (when looking from the side), and when you leave an indentation in the dough with your finger, the indentation should remain, and not bounce back (read the post and see pictures for more details).
• Preheat oven to 375°F, during the last 30 minutes of the second proofing time. It's best for the oven to be preheated to the right temperature for at least 20 minutes, before baking the bread.
• When the bread loaf is ready and the oven has preheated, place the loaf pan in the middle of the oven, and bake for 45 minutes. It's done when it sounds hollow when the bread is tapped on top, OR when the internal temperature has reached 195°F.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and keep it in a warm place (away from drafts) to cool. After about 10 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and keep it on a wire rack to cool down completely. The bread is now ready to be served.
• Optional - brush melted butter on the top while it's hot to add more buttery flavor.
• Keep the loaf in a bread box at room temperature for upto 4 - 5 days, or slice and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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.

ONE LOAF WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the butter, sugar, and salt into the warm water.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and the yeast (Can use 1 Tablespoon yeast in place of the packet).
• Wait 5 minutes; if yeast does not bubble buy new yeast.
• Put flour in a large bowl; stir in yeast mix.
• Stir thoroughly; turn onto a floured board and knead.
• Knead in as much of the flour as possible to make a satiny dough; if dough is sticky add more flour a tablespoon at a time.
• Put dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat.
• Cover with a clean damp towel and let rise til double.
• Punch down; shape into loaf and put in greased loaf pan.
• Let rise.
• Bake at 375 for 50 minutes or until bottom sounds hollow when thumped.
• Can also be shaped into 12 dinner rolls or 8 hamburger buns.
• Bake for less time if using these shapes.

AMISH WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
• Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.