Mom would bake her loaves in anything that was oven proof (except the cases when used one of her Village Bakery helpers): terracotta pots, frying pans, dutch ovens, tin coffee cans are the ones I remember most! Wonderful memories with the smells filling the air.
As you can see, my Mom was the white bread person, her favorite bread was always brioche buns, me? I love to add seeds like caraway, sesame, dill, sunflower and maybe even a bit of oatmeal on the top. I like a more artisan look. Happy baking.
Mother’s Best Homemade White Bread
Ingredients
- 5 Cups scalded milk (or 5 Cups warm water with 25 Tablespoons instant dry milk–then you don’t need to scald it)
- 6 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon yeast
- 1/2 Cup warm water
- 6 Tablespoons shortening, melted
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- White flour (approximately 17 Cups)
Instructions
- Soften yeast in warm water.
- Combine scalded milk (or warm water and dry milk), sugar, salt and shortening. Add about 5 Cups of flour and mix well. Add softened yeast/water mixture. Blend well.
- Add flour, 1 Cup at a time, just until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. Knead very well. (10 minutes by hand, or 2-3 by bread mixer).
- Turn out into large bowl and seal, or cover. Let dough raise 1 hour. Punch down. Let raise again for 45 minutes. Punch down and let raise 20 minutes.
- Divide into 6 loaves. Roll out jelly roll fashion and place in greased bread tins.
- Let raise for 1 1/2 hours, or until the bread is 2-3 inches above the sides of the pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a nice golden brown. Cool on racks.
When cool, keep bread in plastic bags. Can be frozen up to 6 months.
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