White Bread Plus

As a wedding gift, I got a copy of "The Joy of Cooking" many years ago. This recipe has served well for decades in this house.

To the side here is a photo of the original recipe from the old book which is for 3 loaves:

My version (without a big mixer to use) for 1 loaf

Combine in a measuring cup

• 1 pkg yeast, 
• 1/2 c. Warm water
• Large pinch flour 
• 1 T. sugar 

and allow to proof, which means sit in a warmish place. (Until foamy, approx. 20 minutes.)

In a large bowl combine and stir

• 3/4 cups warm water
• ¼ cup melted lard or shortening (or butter but, if salted, reduce salt to 1/2 tsp)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 each large egg, beaten
• Yeast/water mixture

Stir in by batches 

• 3 cups flour

Stir in flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and can be handled.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and pliable, about 5-10 minutes .

Shape into a ball and place into a mixing bowl. Spray with canned canola oil. Turn dough over and spray other side, cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
(Approx. 1-1 1/2 hours for rapid rise yeast, 2 hours or so for standard yeast.) Punch dough down, turn it over in the bowl, and optionally allow to rise again until almost doubled in size. Single rising is ok. Double rising is for the obsessive among us. 

Punch down and form a loaf. Place in a well-greased bread pan. Cover with saran wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. 

Start in a cold oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. 

Remove bread from pan and thump bottom with finger. You should get a hollow sound indicating it is done. Or check the internal temperature, it should be 200 degrees. 

Cool slightly before cutting. 

Store in foil or plastic bag (if there is any left).

With a Big Mixer

Ingredients don't change. Just the instructions of what you do. And its easier.

1. Prepare the yeast mixture as above.
2. Melt the lard/shortening/butter in a small glass bowl in the microwave
3. Put it into the mixer's bowl
4. Use a regular mixing paddle at this point
5. Add the other ingredients in the 2nd list above and turn on the mixer, lowest speed, until everything is thoroughly mixed.
6. Add half the flour a cup at a time 
7. Change to the dough hook and run at the lowest speed some more
8. Add the rest of the flour a cup at a time.
9. When the dough is mixed to the point that there is no flour left, run the mixer for 3 minutes more in place of kneading.
10. Stop the mixer. Leave the hook embedded in the dough.
11. Spray oil over the top surface. No need to turn the dough over.
12. Let the dough do its first rise in the mixer bowl. It will double in size.
13. Turn the mixer back on low. This will push down the dough and knead it some more.
14. At this point, remove the dough and form a loaf.
15. The rest is the same as above.

Note: Updated 22 Mar 2020 to fix typo in amount of flour and reword some errors that said it makes more than 1 loaf of break.