Classic White Bread
White bread can be great bread, too! This recipe, only slightly adapted from Martha Stewart, has a flavour that will make you take notice. I think it's the coarse salt that gives it a distinctive taste. It makes delicious toast. Enjoy.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (two 1/4-ounce envelopes) OR 1/10 lb. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons honey
1 3/4 cups warm water
3 tbsp. honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl, pans, and brushing
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Method
Sprinkle or crumble 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, if using, or to a bowl if mixing by hand.
Add the melted 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 or with a wooden spoon 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 the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to the greased bowl; cover with a towel.
Let the 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 the 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 the dough into the middle, overlapping slightly. Press the seam to seal. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to a loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush each loaf with butter or dust with flour for a rustic look (or both). Drape the loaves with a towel. Let stand until the dough rises about 1 inch above tops of the loaf pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees when putting the loaves in the oven. Bake, rotating the pans after 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.
White bread can be great bread, too! This recipe, only slightly adapted from Martha Stewart, has a flavour that will make you take notice. I think it's the coarse salt that gives it a distinctive taste. It makes delicious toast. Enjoy.
More bread recipes: Challah, No-Knead Artisan French Bread, No-Knead Artisan Rye or Whole Wheat, No-Knead Irish Brown Bread (with Stout), Crusty Baguettes, Soft Baguettes, New York Style Bagels, Whole Wheat Cinnamon Buns, Classic Sticky Cinnamon Buns, Foccaccia, Classic White Bread, Pillowy Buttermilk Buns, Flax and Honey Bread, Portuguese Cornmeal Bread, Olive Bread, One-Rise Buttermilk Bread, Chocolate Babka, Pumpernickel Bread, Italian Bread (Pani di Terni)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (two 1/4-ounce envelopes) OR 1/10 lb. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons honey
1 3/4 cups warm water
3 tbsp. honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for bowl, pans, and brushing
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Method
Sprinkle or crumble 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, if using, or to a bowl if mixing by hand.
Add the melted 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 or with a wooden spoon 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 the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball. Transfer to the greased bowl; cover with a towel.
Let the 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 the 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 the dough into the middle, overlapping slightly. Press the seam to seal. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to a loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Brush each loaf with butter or dust with flour for a rustic look (or both). Drape the loaves with a towel. Let stand until the dough rises about 1 inch above tops of the loaf pans, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees when putting the loaves in the oven. Bake, rotating the pans after 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to wire racks. Let cool slightly; turn out loaves. Let cool completely before slicing.