Amish White Bread
2 C warm water {recipe says 110º F, but I don't use a thermometer to check - I just run my tapwater until it's borderline hot}
¼ C white sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons active dry yeast
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ C vegetable oil
6 C flour
1. Rinse large Kitchen Aid bowl with hot water (so the warm water in recipe doesn’t cool too quickly). In bowl dissolve the sugar in the warm water, then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam (5-10 min.)
2. Mix salt & oil into yeast. Using dough hook, mix in one cup of flour at a time. Let dough hook knead for 5 minutes. Take out and put a little oil in bowl; turn dough to coat. Cover with plastic saran wrap and a towel. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk; about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a couple minutes til it's not oily anymore and cut in half. Use a rolling pin to squish out all the air bubbles and roll it into a rectangle shape about as wide as your bread pan. Roll up, tuck in the edges to shape into loaves, and place in two well greased bread pans seam-side down. Cover with saran wrap from above {lightly spritzed with oil}, cover with a towel, and let rise 30 minutes or until dough reaches top of pans or 1 inch above. Bake at 350º for 30 minutes. When removing bread from oven, let cool for 10 minutes {so it keeps its shape & doesn't cave on sides}, then remove from pan {so it doesn't get soggy}. Enjoy!
If you're interested in doing a little learning yourself, check out this post with the links I found to be the most helpful in my quest for bread knowledge. You'll find info on shaping, freezing, and more!
