There is no place like home, and there is no smell more wonderful than fresh-baked bread. I love how the smell of bread baking in the oven permeates every room of the house. It's a smell that favorite memories are made of. And we're making a lot of memories in our house these days.
The key ingredient in any bread recipe is yeast. Working with yeast can be very intimidating. There's a reason why I frequently refer to yeast as "yeasty beasties."
Yeast is living--and tempermental. Put it in water that's too cold, it won't activate. Put it in water that's too hot, it will die. But find that middle ground, and magic happens.
Are you ready to see the sparks fly?
The players in this masterpiece are few--water, yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Specifically, this recipe requires warm water--again, not to hot or too cold. My best advice is to err on the side of lukewarm. If it's warm enough that you could fill a bathtub with it and get in comfortably, it's just about right.
Pour 1/2 c. warm water into your mixing bowl. Add the yeast. You may see the yeast immediately begin activating--look for the "wrinkles" along side the edges of the bowl.
Add sugar and whisk to blend.
Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to take on creamy characteristics.
Add the remaining 2 c. of warm water to the yeast mixture, and begin to mix with the dough hook attachment on your stand-up mixer. If you don't have one, let's get back to basics and knead.
Gradually add 3 1/2 c. of flour to the yeast mixture. If necessary, stop your mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl repeatedly, until the dough begins to form.
Keep mixing (or kneading, for those who care more about their upper arm fitness than I), and gradually add the remaining flour. The more you mix, the smoother your dough will become.
Get second opinions, if necessary.
When your dough appears to be thoroughly mixed, add the salt, and then throw in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Don't be alarmed if your dough begins to fall apart. With more mixing, it will come back together.
Before pulling your dough out to be shaped, test it. Is it too sticky? Add small amounts of flour and continue to mix. It is too crumbly? Add small amount of water and continue to mix. Ideally, you'll be able to handle this dough without leaving half of it behind on your fingers. It may take some patience getting it to the right texture, but patience pays off here--trust me.
Throw the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. This shouldn't take more than 20 seconds--you don't want to handle the dough too much at this point.
Place the dough in an airtight containter coated with vegetable spray. Turn the dough over several times so that it's covered in vegetable spray on all sides. Seal the container and walk away. Fold the laundry that's piled in the corner, or do what I do, pretend to fold the laundry that's piled in the corner.
After 45 minutes to 1 hour, your dough will have at least doubled in size. Sometimes I'll let it go even longer--the greater the rise, the airier the final loaf will be.
Punch down the down the dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface. Try to use a gentle touch, but if you can't resist otherwise, I promise I won't tell.
Because this recipe makes two 1 1/2 lb. loaves, divide the dough in half and then work one half at a time. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a 13" x 9" rectangle. Fold 1/3 of the dough over on itself.
Bring up the remaining third on top--not unlike folding a letter. At this point, you could turn the dough over and drop it in a loaf pan, but we're aiming for slightly more professional results.
To get rid of "seams" in your dough, pinch all seams together.
Place the loaf seam-side down in a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with vegetable spray, and walk away again. This is one of the reasons I love this recipe--it's a mostly hands-off recipe. Yeast works for you!
After another 45 minutes to 1 hour, your loaf will have risen above the top of the pan. Remove the plastic wrap and lightly poke your the dough with your finger. If the indentation remains, it's ready to bake.
After 35 to 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven, your dough will have transformed into this tall, golden loaf that will be as wonderful to look at it as it will be to eat. It's toothsome, but airy. It's wonderful as toast, french toast, sandwich bread, french bread, buschetta, and more. In our house, we love it lightly toasted with honey, or--my personal favorite--piled high with our favorite bruschetta toppings. No matter what you do with this bread, you won't regret it.
As always, thank you for 'Cooking At Home'!
White Loaf Bread
From Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan and Julia Child (1996)
Prep Time: 2+ hours | Bake Time: 45 minutes | Makes two 1 1/2-lb. loaves
Ingredients
2 1/2 c. warm water
1 tablespoons dry active yeast (I prefer Red SAF yeast, but any variety will do.)
1 tablespoon sugar
7 c. all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
Directions
Add 1/2 c. warm water to your stand-up mixer mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Whisk together. Let the yeast mixture rest for 5 minutes, until it turns creamy. Add the remaining 2 c. water.
With the dough hook attached to your stand-up mixer, begin to mix the yeast mixture. Gradually add 3 1/2 c. of flour and mix until the dough begins to come together. If necessary, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining 3 1/2 c. of flour. Add the salt and mix until incorporated. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place the dough into an air-tight container that's been sprayed with vegetable spray. Turn the dough over until all sides are greased. Close the container and allow to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Working one half at a time, flatten the dough into a 9" x 13" rectangle. Treating the dough a letter needing to be folded to mail, turn 2/3 of the dough over on itself. Fold the remaining 1/3 on top. Pinch together middle and end seams together.
Place dough seam-side down in a greased loaf pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and allow to rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen above the top of the pan.
Remove the pan and bake in a 375-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Immediately remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. This loaf is unforgettable when served still slightly warm.
Throw the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. This shouldn't take more than 20 seconds--you don't want to handle the dough too much at this point.
Place the dough in an airtight containter coated with vegetable spray. Turn the dough over several times so that it's covered in vegetable spray on all sides. Seal the container and walk away. Fold the laundry that's piled in the corner, or do what I do, pretend to fold the laundry that's piled in the corner.
After 45 minutes to 1 hour, your dough will have at least doubled in size. Sometimes I'll let it go even longer--the greater the rise, the airier the final loaf will be.
Punch down the down the dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface. Try to use a gentle touch, but if you can't resist otherwise, I promise I won't tell.
Because this recipe makes two 1 1/2 lb. loaves, divide the dough in half and then work one half at a time. Using your fingers or a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a 13" x 9" rectangle. Fold 1/3 of the dough over on itself.
Bring up the remaining third on top--not unlike folding a letter. At this point, you could turn the dough over and drop it in a loaf pan, but we're aiming for slightly more professional results.
To get rid of "seams" in your dough, pinch all seams together.
Place the loaf seam-side down in a greased loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap coated with vegetable spray, and walk away again. This is one of the reasons I love this recipe--it's a mostly hands-off recipe. Yeast works for you!
After another 45 minutes to 1 hour, your loaf will have risen above the top of the pan. Remove the plastic wrap and lightly poke your the dough with your finger. If the indentation remains, it's ready to bake.
After 35 to 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven, your dough will have transformed into this tall, golden loaf that will be as wonderful to look at it as it will be to eat. It's toothsome, but airy. It's wonderful as toast, french toast, sandwich bread, french bread, buschetta, and more. In our house, we love it lightly toasted with honey, or--my personal favorite--piled high with our favorite bruschetta toppings. No matter what you do with this bread, you won't regret it.
As always, thank you for 'Cooking At Home'!
White Loaf Bread
From Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan and Julia Child (1996)
Prep Time: 2+ hours | Bake Time: 45 minutes | Makes two 1 1/2-lb. loaves
Ingredients
2 1/2 c. warm water
1 tablespoons dry active yeast (I prefer Red SAF yeast, but any variety will do.)
1 tablespoon sugar
7 c. all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
Directions
Add 1/2 c. warm water to your stand-up mixer mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Whisk together. Let the yeast mixture rest for 5 minutes, until it turns creamy. Add the remaining 2 c. water.
With the dough hook attached to your stand-up mixer, begin to mix the yeast mixture. Gradually add 3 1/2 c. of flour and mix until the dough begins to come together. If necessary, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining 3 1/2 c. of flour. Add the salt and mix until incorporated. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Place the dough into an air-tight container that's been sprayed with vegetable spray. Turn the dough over until all sides are greased. Close the container and allow to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Working one half at a time, flatten the dough into a 9" x 13" rectangle. Treating the dough a letter needing to be folded to mail, turn 2/3 of the dough over on itself. Fold the remaining 1/3 on top. Pinch together middle and end seams together.
Place dough seam-side down in a greased loaf pan. Cover lightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and allow to rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has risen above the top of the pan.
Remove the pan and bake in a 375-degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Immediately remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. This loaf is unforgettable when served still slightly warm.
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