I have been blogging about baking for more than a year now and just today I realized that I haven’t posted my every day recipe for White Bread. Yes I know White Bread isn’t very healthy but really what tastes better than fresh bread spread with butter and topped with home made jelly or jam? Not much in my books. At least there is no preservatives or ingredients that you can’t pronounce in this loaf. This is my go-to recipe for dinner rolls as well – it is very versatile. This White Bread is also fantastic toasted spread with your favourite topping which in my case would be peanut butter and crabapple jelly.
Using milk in the dough gives a finer crumb to the bread. If you want you can substitute with water but the bread won’t stay fresh as long either. The one egg also gives just a little richness to the dough. Now if you haven’t made bread before it is a little time consuming but the result is so worth the time and trouble. You can make the dough in a stand mixer – just make sure you use the dough hook and operate on low speed only. Or you can make it by hand and get your exercise for the day. The process is the same just don’t add all of the flour at once, add it a cup at a time and stir it in with the end of a wooden spoon- believe me it works. Once it all comes together in a ball, transfer to a counter dusted with flour and start kneading. Continue kneading until it is soft and no longer sticky – which will take about 8-10 minutes.
Let the dough rise until it is doubled in size, then form either into 2 loaves or 1 loaf and 16 buns or what ever strikes your fancy. When you are letting the dough rise cover it loosely with plastic wrap then put in a place where it will keep warm. If your house is cool put a towel under the bowl or pans and one on top as well to make a cozy place for your dough to rise. When baking you want the end result to be golden brown and hollow sounding when you tap the loaf on the bottom once it is turned out of the pan. If you can let it cool at least 10 -15 minutes before slicing, then enjoy it slathered in butter or with a nice hot bowl of home-made soup for dipping on this cold April day!
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1¾ cup warm milk – about 110 °F
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten, room temperature
- 1 tbsp salt
- 4-5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tbsp Instant Rise Yeast
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the milk, oil,egg and honey. Whisk until the honey is mixed in.
- In a separate bowl whisk together 3 cups of flour, yeast and salt. Note: if using regular yeast add to milk mixture and let foam before adding flour.
- Add all at once to the liquid ingredients. Using the dough hook mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth.
- Continue adding 1 - 2 cups more flour until a smooth dough ball forms around the dough hook and it is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading at least 3-5 more minutes.
- Transfer dough to a large glass bowl that has been well oiled or buttered. Turn the dough ball over a few times so that it is well coated.
- Cover very loosely with plastic wrap so that the dough has a lot of room to expand and rise.
- Place in a draft free area to rise until doubled - about 1 - 1½ hours.
- Butter or oil 2 loaf pans or 1 loaf pan and 1 8x8 pan if making buns.
- Turn out dough onto lightly floured counter. Cut in ½. Form into loaves or 1 loaf and 16 balls for buns.
- Place in tins and again cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise again about another hour until dough is just above the edges of the pan.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- Turn out onto rack to cool.
- Note: if using regular yeast add to milk mixture and let foam before adding flour.
Loved your Multigrain Red River Bread, got this white bread recipe in my oven as of now. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Yvonne! I’ve been working on a Brioche recipe for bread/buns as well. Hope to post that soon too.
Ps….your #14 should be listed with your #1; Which I missed; hope it works!
It should work and thanks for the suggestion – will update the recipe!