Homemade Bread Tutorial

I love making homemade bread for my family. There's nothing yummier than a warm slice of bread with butter, fresh out of the oven.  I use a recipe from a Betty Crocker Cookbook that my parents received as a wedding gift, so it's older than I am. :) Here are the directions:

Ingredients:

• 2 packages active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)
• 3/4 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees)
• 2 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour ( I use half whole wheat when I make it)
• Soft butter or margarine

Directions:

• Dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water.  Stir in 2 2/3 cup warm water, sugar, salt, shortening.

•  Put your paddle attachment on your mixer and beat with 5 cups of the flour until smooth. (About 3 minutes)

• Take paddle attachment off and attach your bread hook onto your mixer.  Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough come together and not stick to the sides of your mixer.  Mix on high for 5 minutes, or knead by hand for 10 minutes.  Place dough in greased bowl; turn greased side up.  Cover.  I put mine on a cooling rack over a bowl of very warm water.

• Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled, about 1 hour.

• Punch down dough; divide into thirds.  Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle, about 18 X 9 inches.  Roll up, beginning at short side.  With side of hand, press each end to seal.  Fold ends under loaf. Place dough seam side down into greased pan. (I use shortening to grease my pans) Brush loaves lightly with butter. 

• Let dough rise for 45 minutes.  I re-warm the water up and put the loaves back on top of a cooling rack over water.  I do not cover the loaves with anything the second time around so they can rise nicely.  After 45 minutes is up, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and continue to let the dough rise for another 15 minutes. 

•  Place loaves on a low rack so that the tops of pans are in center of oven.  Pans should not touch each other or sides of oven.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. 
• Remove from pans.  Brush loaves with soft butter; cool on wire rack.

You can also make cinnamon swirl bread too.  After rolling dough into rectangles, sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon water and mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  Roll up as directed above and let rise for another hour, then bake.  So delicious, my kids love to eat this for breakfast, and it makes wonderful french toast too!