Sunday, January 18, 2009

Amish White Bread

Several of you have asked for my white bread recipe after reading the first article in the Practical Help for Your Picky Eater series. I am so glad you asked.  This is my favorite standard white bread recipe for two reasons:  1) it can be made with absolutely no kneading, and 2) it is an easy recipe to alter. This bread can easily be converted into wheat bread, cinnamon bread, and cinnamon rolls. Yes, you heard me right, cinnamon rolls.

This bread tutorial is detailed which I did on purpose. If you are newly venturing on the road to make bread then I want you to be successful at it. So bare with all the details, and then get ready for your whole family to hug you because that's what they are going to do after they eat your homemade bread.


INGREDIENTS:

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS
:

1. Dissolve sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. If that step just sent you over the edge and you are wanting the brakes on already, please check out this tutorial on yeast. It will be smooth sailing afterwards. I promise.


2. Mix salt and oil in mixing bowl. Add yeast and stir. I am going to use my Kitchen Aid mixer to knead the dough, so I used my Kitchen Aid bowl instead of a regular mixing bowl. If you do not have a Kitchen Aid, no worries. Mix in any large bowl. Notice all the bubbles in your bowl....it's a good sign.

If you are using a Kitchen Aid, attach the dough hook.


3. Add one cup of flour at a time and mix until fully incorporated. Continue until all 6 cups of flour have been incorporated. Here's the mixture after one cup of flour has been incorporated and the second has been added. The dough is still far from ready.
Here's another cup added....
And another....
And another.
4. When your flour is fully incorporated, it's time to knead or mix. If you are using your Kitchen Aid mixer, turn up the speed to medium and mix to 5 minutes.

If you are kneading by hand, form dough into round disc shape and place on a lightly floured surface. Cover your hands as well as each side of the dough with a small amount of flour. Pull up one side of the dough and push it into the middle of the disc with the heel of your hand. Turn the dough clockwise 1/4 turn, and again pull up one side of the dough and push it into the middle. This is kneading. Continue to knead for 5 minutes or until dough is smooth.  Notice how smooth the dough looks.

5. Form the dough into a ball, drizzle it will vegetable oil, and spread the oil over the entire surface of the dough.




6. Spray the inside of your mixing bowl with cooking spray until all sides are appear well-oiled and return your dough to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then cover with a kitchen towel. Place the covered bowl in your oven. Do not turn your oven on. Let sit for 1 hour or until your dough doubles in size. This is before it rises....

....this is after.


7. Punch the dough down with your fist, until it is back to close to its original size. Take the dough out of the bowl, knead a few times, and then divide in half. You will be making two loaves of bread, one from each of these halves.

8. Shape each ball into a loaf and place each into well-oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Here is one of my loaves. Notice that I didn't get too Martha Stewart about the shape. That's okay.


9. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size again...here is my loaf when it is ready.

10. Make one single slit across top of loaf with a sharp knife (optional). Brush top of bread with an egg-water mixture made from one slightly beaten egg and 2 tablespoons water. Top with one teaspoon sesame seeds, one teaspoon of poppy seeds, or 1-2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. If this is the first time you are making this bread and this is specifically for your picky eater, omit step 10.

11. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


It's time to enjoy your homemade bread...and look for the cinnamon roll version of this bread tomorrow!

Original recipe from Allrecipes.com; Modifications mine.
Click here for printable version of this recipe.

4 comments:

Sarah Sanders said...

This looks amazing! I'm going to be trying this recipe today.
Thanks for sharing!

Sarah Sanders said...

Ok, so I know I already commented on this post, but I had to stop back and say.... "Oh, dear HEAVENS!!!!!!!" I have never...let me repeat that - NEVER had bread turn out so completely GORGEOUS before! It rose perfectly and looks like a million bucks! I will say that as I added that last cup of flour, I did think to myself, "Self, this looks like way too much flour and the dough is going to be too stiff!" But I added as per the instructions and all I can say it.....WOW. I am blown away. You have just provided my family the best bread recipe I've ever come across! I thank you and they do, too! My oldest son (6 yrs. old) saw the bread and got so excited over how pretty it was! Now that's great stuff. :o)
Just had to let you know that I think you're amazing and I am so very grateful for your blog! Thanks for sharing your wealth of wisdom with the rest of us! ;o)

Mamahollioni said...

Yeah!!! I am so glad that you and your family loved this bread! Thanks for telling me and all the words of encouragement...you just put a big smile on my face!

Four for France said...

I love the texture of this bread, and it was a very easy recipe, as far as bread-making goes. Thanks!