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Country White Bread

Country White Bread

Soft chewy country style white bread loaf with a lightly crisp crust
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12

INGREDIENTS

Dough

  • 4 cups bread flour
  • 1 1 2 cups warm water
  • 2 1 4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar or honey
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp nonfat dry milk optional.

Finish

  • 1 tbsp melted butter for brushing
  • flour for dusting.

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix and knead

  • whisk warm water sugar and yeast and rest 5 to 10 minutes until foamy
  • mix in butter salt and optional dry milk
  • add flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms
  • knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand or 6 to 8 minutes with a mixer until smooth elastic and slightly tacky.

First rise and shape

  • place dough in a lightly oiled bowl cover and rise 60 to 90 minutes until doubled
  • gently deflate and shape into a tight log
  • place seam side down in a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan or on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Second rise and bake

  • cover and rise 30 to 45 minutes until dough crowns 1 inch above the rim
  • heat oven to 375 F
  • slash top if baking free form
  • bake 30 to 38 minutes until deep golden and internal temperature is 195 to 200 F.

Cool and finish

  • brush hot loaf with melted butter for a soft crust
  • cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out and cool completely before slicing.

Notes

1. Use instant yeast in the same amount and skip proofing then reduce rise times as needed; Substitute up to 1 cup all purpose flour for a slightly softer crumb or replace up to 1 cup with whole wheat flour and add 1 to 2 tbsp extra water; For a crisper crust bake on a preheated sheet pan and add a small pan of hot water to the oven for the first 10 minutes; Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze sliced up to 2 months

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g