Dessert Recipes - Delicious White Bread Recipe

Ingredients  

• 5 to 6 cups Pillsbury's Best Bread flour

• 3 Tbs sugar

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 packages active dry yeast

• 2 cups water

• 1/4 cup oil or shortening

Makes 2 loaves

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Method:

1. Grease two 8 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.

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

3. By hand, stir in 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl. On floured surface, knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic with blisters under the surface, about 10 minutes.

4. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place until light and doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough several times to remove all air bubbles.

5. Divide dough into 2 parts; mold into balls. Allow to rest on counter, covered with inverted bowl, for 15 minutes. Work dough with hands to remove large air bubbles. Shape into two loaves.

6. Place in prepared pans. Cover; let rise in warm place until dough fills pans and tops of loaves are about 1 inch above pan edges, about 1 hour.

7. Heat oven to 375°F. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire racks. If desired, for soft crusts brush tops of loaves with melted butter.