BREADS - THE FIRST LOAF

5 to 6 cups bread or all-purpose flour, approximately

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 package dry yeast

¼ cup nonfat dry milk

2 cups hot water (120-130F)

3 tablespoons shortening, room temperature (or butter)

2 medium loaf pans, size 8”x 4”

In a large mixing bowl measure 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and dry milk.  Pour the hot water into the dry ingredients and beat by hand or with mixer flat beater to blend thouroughly.  Add the shortening; continue beating.  Add 1 cup flour and with a wooden spoon beat 100 vigorous strokes, or for 3 minutes at medium speed in the mixer.

If my hand, continue adding flour, ¼ cup at a time, and stirring with a wooden spoon until it becomes a shaggy mass.  Work more flour into the dough with your hands if it is sticky. 

If by mixer, attach the dough hook and add flour, ¼ cup at a time, until the dough forms a soft, elastic ball around the revolving hook.

 

If by hand, turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and begin to knead with a strong push-turn-fold motion.  Occasionally bring the dough down hard against the work surface with a sharp whack!  Do this several times during the process.  If the dough continues to be sticky, add light sprinkles of flour.

When properly kneaded the dough will be soft and elastic.  It can be pulled into a thin sheet when stretched between the hands.

A caution:  too much flour will make a hard ball that will behave poorly.  Work 1 or 2 teaspoons water into the dough.  By the same token, if the dough is wet and slack and difficult to handle, add 1 or 2 tablespoons flour. 

FIRST RISING about 1 hour depending on your kitchen’s temperature.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap to retain the moisture, and leave at room temperature until the dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

  

SHAPING  Turn back the plastic wrap and punch down the dough.  Turn it onto the floured work surface and knead for a moment or so to force out any bubbles.  Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces with a sharp knife.

Shape each piece into a ball and let it rest on the work surface for 2 or 3 mintues.  Form a loaf by pressing the ball of dough into a flat oval roughly the length of the baking pan.  Fold the oval in half, pinch the seam tightly to seal, tuck under the ends, and place seam down in the pan. 

SECOND RISING Cover the pans with wax or parchment paper and leave until the dough has doubled in volume, about 45 minutes at room temperature.

  

PREHEAT  Preheat the oven to 400F about 20 minutes before baking.

 

BAKING  Place the loaves in the hot oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350F for an additional 25 to 30 minutes.  Midway through baking and again at the end turn the pans end for end so the loaves are uniformly exposed to the heat. 

When the loaves are a golden and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom crust, they are done.

  

FINAL STEP Turn out onto wire racks to cool.  If you want  a soft, tender crust, brush the hot loaves with melted butter or margarine.

From The Complete Book of Bread by Bernard Clayton.