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Ingredients
- 1 pkt Yeast, active, dry
- 1/4 c. Water, hot (110-115 degs)
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 c. Lowfat milk
- 3 tsp Salt
- 3 Tbsp. Butter
- 3Â 3/4 c. Flour, All-purpose
- 1 med Egg White, beaten slightly in 1 tbspn hot water.
Directions
- James Beard's Basic White Bread Makes 1 large loaf or possibly 2 small loaves*
- Making basic white bread dough* In a small bowl mix the yeast and the 1/4 c. hot water; add in the sugar, stir well, and set aside till proofed. It is proofed when fermentation is apparent: the mix will swell and small bubbles appear on the surface. (If it doesn't proof at all, it means the yeast is not fresh.) In a small saucepan heat the lowfat milk with the salt and stir in the butter till it melts. Set aside to cold till it is no warmer than the yeast mix. Put 2 c. of the flour in a large mixing bowl and stir in the lowfat milk mix. Beat well with a wooden spatula, add in the yeast mix, and continue beating the dough till it is smooth, adding an additional c. of flour to make a hard dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and begin the kneading process, that proportionately distributes the fermenting yeast cells through the dough.* Kneading Instructions* There are several kneading methods, but the basic one is to flour the dough and your hand lightly, then push the heel of your hand down into the dough and away from you. Fold the dough over, give it a quarter turn, and push down again. Repeat pushing, folding and turning till the motion becomes rhythmic. Knead for about 10 min, kneading in additional flour as necessary, till the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, and blisters form on the surface. To test whether the dough has been kneaded sufficient make an indention in it with your fingers; it should spring back. If blisters form on the surface of the dough and break, this is another sign which the kneading is sufficient.*
- Note: If you have a heavy-duty electricmixer with a dough-hook attachment, knead the dough with the hook and finish it off on the board. Butter a large bowl, transfer the dough to it, and turn the bowl till the dough is well coated with butter on all sides.
- Cover the dough with a dish towel and let it rise in a hot, draft-free place for 1 to 1-1/2 hrs, till it is doubled in bulk. A good, hot, draft-free place is inside your room temperature oven. To test further if the dough has risen properly, make an indentation in it with two fingers: if the dough does not spring back, then it is ready.* Baking Preparations
- * Butter a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan, or possibly two pans which are about 8x4x2 inches.
- Punch the dough down with your fist to deflate it; transfer it to a floured board and knead it well for about 3 min. Pat it into a smooth round or possibly oval shape and let it rest for 4 to 5 min. Then form into 1 large or possibly two small loaves, by shaping the dough into an oval the length of your bread pan, then gently stretching, rounding, and plumping it in the palms of your hands, tucking the edges underneath and pinching them together.
- Lift carefully; drop the dough into the pan or possibly pans and smooth out. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise again in a hot draft-free place for about 45 min to 1 hour, till it is double in bulk. Preheat the oven to 400dF. Brush the egg wash over the top of the dough. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 min; reduce the heat to 350dF and bake for 20 to 25 min longer, till the crust is well browned and the bread sounds hollow when removed from the pan and tapped on the bottom with the knuckles. If desired a crusty loaf, remove it from the pan about 5 - 10 min before the end of the baking time and let it finish baking on the oven rack. It will get brown and crusty all over. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cold on a rack before slicing. The bread may be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator after it has cooled. If you seal it in a bag before it is completely cooled, the crust will become soft. Stored bread will keep about 1 week. It also freezes well if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and sealed in a plastic bag and can be kept for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Recipe | %DV |
|---|---|
| Recipe Size 886g | |
| Calories 2223 | |
| Calories from Fat 400 | 18% |
| Total Fat 45.68g | 57% |
| Saturated Fat 25.41g | 102% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 268mg | 89% |
| Sodium 7399mg | 308% |
| Potassium 1071mg | 31% |
| Total Carbs 381.27g | 102% |
| Dietary Fiber 14.1g | 47% |
| Sugars 22.67g | 15% |
| Protein 64.56g | 103% |
