White Yeast Bread

Submitted by Bernice Earl

This is a page from my Betty Crocker cook book. This is the closest recipe I've found to be "like" what I learned to do about 100 years ago - we didn't use a recipe. I know to alter according to the feel of the dough.

So easy--so good! Warm mixing bowl with hot water in cold weather.

2 loaves
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (not hot--110 to 116 degrees)
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk**, water or potato water
7 to 7 1/4 cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 tbsp. soft shortening

4 loaves
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (not hot--110 to 116 degrees)
3 1/2 cups lukewarm milk**, water or potato water
14 to 14 1/2 cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
6 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. salt
1/4 cup soft shortening

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, half the flour, sugar, salt and shortening. Beat with spoon until smooth and batter falls from spoon in "sheets." Using your hand, mix in enough of the remaining flour until dough cleans the bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Cover and let rest, 10 to 15 minutes. Knead until smooth and blistered, about 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning once to bring greased side up. Cover with a cloth. Let rise in warm place (85 degrees) u until double in bulk, about 1 hour. (If kitchen is cool, place dough on a rack over a bowl of hot water and cover completely with a towel.)

Punch down, cover and let rise again until almost double, about 30 minutes. Divide into two parts. Round up and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place in greased loaf pans, 9x5x3 inch pans, sealed-edge down. Grease top of loaf. Cover with cloth; let rise until sides reach top of pan and center is well rounded, 50 to 60 minutes. Test loaf by touching gently at corner. If a slight indentation remains, loaves are ready for baking. Be careful that loaves do not rise to much.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place loaves in center of oven not touching each other or sides of oven. (Heat must circulate freely for even baking.) Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown. To test the loaf, tap the crust. Loaf should sound hollow when done. If it doesn't bake, a few minutes longer. Immediately remove bread from pans. Place on wire cooling racks or across top edges of the bread pan. Do not place in direct draft.

*A few drops on wrist will feel quite warm

**Scaled then cooled