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3 and 1/2 to 4 cups flour 1 1/2 Tbsp powdered skim milk 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 2 tsp yeast 1 1/2 cups water 1 Tbsp oil |
Place all dry ingredients in bowl. Use 3 and 1/2 cups flour at first. Stir the dry ingredients a bit. Make a hole in the center of the flour mix. Add oil then water. Stir with a spoon until its too hard to stir then use your hand. If the dough is runny and sticky add more flour. If the dough is dry with bits of flour that won't mix in add some water 1 Tbsp at a time. Flour varies on how much water it will need and also different ways of messuring.
Doughs can be stiff or soft too. I like a stiffer dough as its easier to work with. Softer doughs rise faster and higher but a stiffer dough is less likely to fall. After the dough forms a ball flip it out on the counter. Knead the dough by squishing and folding. Its very hard to over knead by hand so keep kneading for a while. You will notice the dough getting more stretchy and less sticky.
After you knead the dough put it back in the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a plate or plastic bag. Let it rise for about 75 min. It sould double in size. If it seems really small let it rise more. If its really big and when you touch it it gives you beery sigh then it was too long but no harm just have to watch out when you rise it in the pan.
Take the dough out of the bowl. Use your hand and scoop around the sides pulling and tucking it into a ball shape. Its best to keep the "skin" or top of the dough on the outside. Its less sticky. Use a big knife and cut the dough into 2. Roll and squeeze the dough into logs that fit your bread pans. Squeeze most of the air out or the trapped air will make big bubbles (holes) in your bread.
Grease your pans with Pam or shortening. Place the dough in the pans, cover and let rise about 50 min. I put my bread to rise in the microve (see details on my bread page) or a plastic tote container. A bag works but its hard to make it puffed up so it won't touch the dough. If it got really big in the bowl last time reduce the rising time in the pans.
Bake for 27 minutes at 350. You should smell the bread for 5 minutes before it comes out of the oven. Turn it out of the pan. If it sticks let it sit 5 min to sweat or give the pan a firm wack. Let the bread cool on a rack. If you want to slice it while hot use a sawing motion with very little pressure. Enjoy!
