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The Best Basic White Bread

1 C Warm Water

2 TBSP Honey or Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

1 1/2 TBSP Butter or Margarine

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/2 tsp Yeast

This recipe is best for a 1lb bread machine. Layer ingredients in order and let the machine do the rest.

Versatile Bread Recipe Notes for Friends and Family

The above bread recipe is the most versatile bread recipe I've ever come across. The dough can be made in a mixer or bread machine. The recipe can be changed to include any kind of flour - white, brown, rye etc. and any combinations as long as you keep the measurements the same.

The 2 TBSP of Honey makes the bread sweet. So if you are looking for sweet toast or cinnamon buns this recipe is excellent. (add a tsp of cinnamon to enhance the dough for cinnamon buns).

If you would like regular store bought bread use 1 tsp of sugar instead of honey.

 

Freezing this dough is super easy.

• Make the dough.
• Let it rise 1X, punch it down then knead it for 5 minutes.
• Wrap it in plastic and place in the freezer. It will rise a little in the freezer.

When you want bread defrost it over night in the fridge and let it rise during the morning and bake it at night. Or take it out in the morning, let it defrost on the counter during the day and bake it for supper.

It needs 6-8 hours to defrost and 2 hours to rise (depending on how warm your house is or where you put it to rise). I turn my oven on to 150F and put the dough in a GREASED Pyrex Glass Loaf Pan on top of the stove. You will also need to grease the frozen dough (I spray vegetable spray on it, aka PAM) so as it is rising in the loaf pan the grease stays with the loaf. Otherwise the dough will stick to the pan

IF you are using brown flour or combinations of brown and white baking takes 30 minutes at 350F. You want the top of the bread to be dark brown, not golden. The brown flour is heavier and takes more time to cook that just a straight white loaf. If you have a straight white flour loaf the cooking time is less, 20 minutes. Golden brown to brown is the co lour you are looking for.

When you think the bread is done tap on the top. It should sound hollow indicating air is trapped inside. If you take it out and it's not done the inside will cave in. You can still pop it back in the oven to finish baking but it won't be a perfect top crust, tastes just as good.

When you take it out leave it in the loaf pan to cool for 10 minutes. Then place it on a rack for cooling. The rack will leave indents on the side of the bread which make great guide lines when you go to cut your bread. Don't leave it in the loaf pan after it has cooled as the sides will get soggy.

Leave the bread out over night covered with a dishtowel (if there's any left after the first batch). This makes a firm crust. After 24 hours put it in a Ziplock bag for storage in the fridge BUT don't seal the bag completely. The refrigerator will suck out all the moisture and give you stale bread if you leave the bag open all the way. But the Ziplock bag, if closed completely, will trap all the moisture and give you soggy bread.

Enjoy!

1 c Yellow cornmeal

1 ts Salt

1 c Rye flour

1 c Black raisins or currants

1 c Whole wheat flour

2 c Buttermilk

2 ts baking soda

3/4 c Dark unsulfured molasses

Mix cornmeal and flours in a large bowl with the baking soda, salt, and raisins. Beat together liquids in a separate bowl. Vigorously blend liquids into dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, then pour into two well-greased or buttered one-pound coffee cans. Butter two 6" squares of foil and tie around the tops of the coffee cans with string. Place on a rack in a closely covered pot, pour 2" of water into the pot, and weight down the cover for a tight seal and steam for three hours. Do not open the pot until at least two hours have passed. Let cool 20 minutes.

2 c Warm milk (110-120 F.)
2 c Water, and
2 tb Sugar
2/3 c Dry milk for the 2 cups of milk called for above
1 pk Active dry yeast
1/4 c Melted unsalted butter
2 tb Salt
Mix:
5 To 7 cups of white flour
2 c Warm milk (110-120 F.)
1/3 c Rye flour (optional), and
2 tb Sugar
1 c Wheat bran (optional).
1 pk Active dry yeast.
Recipe Instructions: Stir well until the yeast is completely dissolved, and allow the yeast to proof. Once the yeast has proofed, transfer the yeasty liquid to your main mixing bowl and mix in: 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, and 2 Tbsp salt. You may add 1/3 cup of rye flour at this point. Now add: 4 to 5 cups of white flour one cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the dough is rather stiff. Knead the dough in a mixer, or on a floured board or marble slab. Add more white flour as needed as the dough gets sticky, up to 1 or 2 more cups. The limit is about 6 cups of total flour. Continue kneading until the bread is supple, satiny, and no longer sticky. Butter or oil a bowl and place the dough in it, rolling the dough, so as to cover the entire surface with butter or oil. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough, knead the dough for another 4 to 5 minutes. Divide into two equal parts, shape into loaves. Place loaves into well-buttered 9" x 5" x 3" bread pans, cover, and let rise until again doubled in size. Slash the loaves with a sharp knife or a single-edged razor blade. You may brush the loaves with lightly beaten egg whites, or water. Bake in a pre-heated 400� F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles. Remove the loaves from their pans, and put them back into the oven for a few minutes longer to become crispy.