BASIC BREAD DOUGH RECIPE FOR CROUTONS BREAD ROLLS

BASIC BREAD DOUGH RECIPE
FOR BREADS, CROUTONS, HOMEMADE ROLLS
& DESSERTS

Store bought breads can be very expensive.
If you have enough 'dough' you can have fresh baked
bread at every meal.
(oh my, that was a bad pun, even for me...)

We have a basic dough recipe we like to use for a number
of bread items.
This recipe will make 2 regular loaves of melt-in-your-mouth white bread.
*warning, they taste soooo good, they will not last long.


OUR BASIC WHITE BREAD RECIPE
~tweeked from old cook book

5 to 6 Cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 tsp salt
2 pkg active dry yeast
2 Cups water
1/4 Cup oil or shortening
1 Tbl melted margarine or butter

In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast;
blend well.
In small saucepan, heat water and oil until very warm (120-130 degrees)
Add warm liquid to flour mixture.
Blend at low speed until moistened:
beat 3 more minutes at medium speed.

By hand, stir in an additional 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour until
dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.

Place mixture on floured surface,
knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic.
about 5 minutes.
Place dough in greased bowl, cover loosely
with plastic wrap and clean dish towel.
Let rise in a warm place ( 80-85 degrees)
until light and doubled in size, 45-60 minutes.
*If the kitchen is warm enough:
he places the dough in the microwave to rise.
or
he will turn the oven on bake 350 for o n l y 30 seconds,
turn oven off.
Place bowl with dough in the oven to rise.




FOR WHOLE LOAF BREAD

Punch down dough several times, removing air bubbles.
Grease 2 loaf pans
Divide dough into 2 parts, shape into loaves.
Place in greased pans.
Cover; let rise in warm place until dough fills
pans and tops of loaves are about 1 inch above pan edges.
30-35 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 375.
Uncover dough.
Place loaf pans in oven
Bake 40-50 minutes until loaves
sound hollow when slightly tapped.
Immediately remove from pans;
cool on wire racks
Brush with melted margarine.



We have made the following using the basic recipe:

-Regular white sandwich bread.
slice thin for sandwiches.
-Slice thicker for "texas toast' style bread
Excellent grilled cheese and for oven garlic toast.
-White bread topped with sesame seeds right before loaf is done baking.
-White bread topped with finely chopped nuts before the loaf is done baking.
-bread sticks.
-dinner rolls:
roll dough into small balls, place 2 into cupcake / muffin tins to bake
or roll dough into tiny balls, place 3 into cupcake / muffin tins to bake.
-cinnamon rolls:
made with cinnamon, etc..yummy white glaze
these rolls are definitely NOT for those doing atkins, south beach,
the zone or any of the current weight loss programs.
All month I will be sharing
variations of breads, rolls, desserts & croutons
using the above Basic Bread recipe.




Return to Diary of a Kentucky Cook Home Page