White Bread Loaf

Easy, perfect, white bread that is delicious.

What else do you need?

Makes: 2 loaves

Takes About: 3 - 3.5 hours

Difficulty: 1 out of 5

Prep:

Place a piece of parchment paper on a large baking sheet or a pieces of parchment paper on two baking sheets.

Fill a roasting pan with about 1 inch of water and place it in the bottom of the oven.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups warm water (between 105 degrees and 110 degrees F)

5 1/2 - 6 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions:

- Step 1 - Activate the Yeast

In a medium bowl, mix together the 2 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoon of yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar, mix well, and then set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Make sure the water is between 105 degrees F and 110 degrees F or the yeast will die.

- Step 2 - Mix Flour and Yeast

In a large bowl, mix together 5 1/2 cups of flour and 1 tablespoon salt.

- Step 3 - Mix the Dry and Wet Ingredients

Pour the sugar, yeast, and water mixture into the flour and salt mixture.

Mix the ingredients together until it starts to come together.

Using a spatula could be very difficult, so it is a lot easier to use your hands.

- Step 4 - Knead the Dough

Once everything starts to stick together, dump the batter onto a floured surface and knead the dough until smooth and no longer sticky.

- Step 5 - Let Rise

Oil a large bowl with the 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil, wiping out an excess oil.

Place the dough into the oiled bowl and let rest for an hour or until doubled in size.

- Step 6 - Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F. Keep the roasting pan with water in the oven.

- Step 7 - Shape the Loaves

Once the dough has doubled in size, press the air out of the dough and then turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Split the dough in half and shape the dough into a ball by pulling the seam to the bottom of the ball.

- Step 8 - Decorate

Dust flour over the tops of the dough balls and using a sharp knife or blade, cut three slashes in the bread.

Not deep, just slightly.

However, a more decorative pattern can be cut into the loaves as well if desired.

- Step 9 - Bake

Bake the loaves for about 40 -50 minutes or until a crust is formed on top and when knocking on the bottom of the loaves, it sounds hollow.

Adapted from Gather Fro Bread's recipe of Easy Perfect Yeast Bread.