White Bread

Ingredients

• 5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon shortening, margarine, or butter
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat and stir milk; sugar; shortening, margarine, or butter; and salt till warm (120° to 130°) and shortening almost melts. Add to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much remaining flour as you can.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (about 45 minutes).
3. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
4. Shape each half of dough into a loaf by patting or rolling. To pat dough, gently pull dough into a loaf shape, tucking edges beneath. To shape dough by rolling, on a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Roll up tightly, starting at a narrow edge. Seal with fingertips as you roll.
5. Place shaped dough in prepared loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (30 to 40 minutes).
6. Bake in a 375° oven about 40 minutes or till bread tests done. Cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Remove from pans immediately. Cool on wire racks.
7. Hand-mixed method: Prepare as above, except soften yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (105° to 115°). Reduce milk to 2 cups. After heating milk mixture in saucepan, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups of the flour; beat well by hand. Add softened yeast; stir till smooth. Using a spoon, stir in as much remaining flour as you can. Increase kneading time to 8 to 10 minutes.