I love bread...homemade that is. Crusty breads are my favorite but there is a place for just plain everyday bread for toast and grilled sandwiches of which this bread excels. This recipe never fails unless you have dead yeast...otherwise you are guaranteed a perfect loaf each and every time!
This recipe is from Apples for Jam, a cookbook by Tessa Kiros and not only is it one of my favorite cookbooks but it reads like a novel and you get to meet her family and her history in beautiful photos along with the dishes.
Tessa says "You can make this as one loaf or shape into smaller rolls. Children love small white rolls, it seems. Naturally, you can make different sizes or a different shape...long is nice for hot dogs. You can easily make a batch and freeze them in small bags, a few together; to whip out at almost the last moment of need. My kids like these with butter spread so thickly that they can see their teeth marks."
I was going to publish some pictures but Google doesn't seem to want to cooperate just now so I will give you the recipe straight away (I have since edited and Google is working again so pictures are in!).......all credit is given to Tessa Kiros and if you run across her cookbook (I got mine on Thriftbooks) I highly recommend it...that is, if you like to cook.....her recipes are for cooks as some are lengthy and involved and use real ingredients but not this bread recipe...this recipe is easy peasy!
Ingredients: (*FGS indicates my own personal notes for this recipe)
1 cup warm (comfortable to your fingers) milk
1 (1/2 ounce) cake of fresh yeast, crumbled, or 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast.
*since I buy my yeast in a jar I figured it to be 2 1/4 teaspoons~FGS*
1 teaspoon honey
3 2/3 cups bread flour *FGS - I recommend using the bread flour not regular*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
Put the milk, yeast, and honey in a small bowl, and stir until the honey melts. *FGS - I also stir until the yeast is fairly well dissolved* Leave it for about 10 minutes or until it begins to froth a bit. Put the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a larger bowl (*FGS - I use my Kitchen Aide mixer). Add the yeast mixture, the egg, and butter, and mix through well. (*FGS - I use my mixing paddle for this and then switch to my dough hook for the kneading*). Knead for 10 minutes or so and , if it seems sticky, just hold the bowl firmly and move the dough around with your hand, rather than add more flour. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has puffed up well.
Lightly grease a 12 X 4 inch loaf pan and dust it with flour (*FGS - I greased the pan but forgot to dust it with flour but it came right out! Lucky me!*) Punch down the dough to flatten it and shape it into a rough loaf of a size to fit the pan. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until it puffs right up in the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is firm and crusty and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven, knock the loaf out of the pan, and cool on a rack in a fly-free zone.
This is best sliced warm and spread with butter, but you can keep the loaf for a few days (*FGS - I've kept it for over a week in the frig with no problem*) in an airtight container for excellent toast.
Enjoy and Happy Trails!!!
This recipe is from Apples for Jam, a cookbook by Tessa Kiros and not only is it one of my favorite cookbooks but it reads like a novel and you get to meet her family and her history in beautiful photos along with the dishes.
1 cup warm (comfortable to your fingers) milk
1 (1/2 ounce) cake of fresh yeast, crumbled, or 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast.
*since I buy my yeast in a jar I figured it to be 2 1/4 teaspoons~FGS*
1 teaspoon honey
3 2/3 cups bread flour *FGS - I recommend using the bread flour not regular*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
Put the milk, yeast, and honey in a small bowl, and stir until the honey melts. *FGS - I also stir until the yeast is fairly well dissolved* Leave it for about 10 minutes or until it begins to froth a bit. Put the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a larger bowl (*FGS - I use my Kitchen Aide mixer). Add the yeast mixture, the egg, and butter, and mix through well. (*FGS - I use my mixing paddle for this and then switch to my dough hook for the kneading*). Knead for 10 minutes or so and , if it seems sticky, just hold the bowl firmly and move the dough around with your hand, rather than add more flour. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm, draft-free place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has puffed up well.
Lightly grease a 12 X 4 inch loaf pan and dust it with flour (*FGS - I greased the pan but forgot to dust it with flour but it came right out! Lucky me!*) Punch down the dough to flatten it and shape it into a rough loaf of a size to fit the pan. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until it puffs right up in the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is firm and crusty and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven, knock the loaf out of the pan, and cool on a rack in a fly-free zone.
This is best sliced warm and spread with butter, but you can keep the loaf for a few days (*FGS - I've kept it for over a week in the frig with no problem*) in an airtight container for excellent toast.
