Homemade bread is delicious, but sometimes when you have added all the healthful ingredients you like, it turns out to be too heavy for a simple sandwich. To make a good loaf of white bread, firm enough to slice but still soft and flavorful, use all-purpose flour. Adding milk instead of water makes the bread softer, as does adding mashed potatoes. Keep the dough moist, adding enough flour to make a dough you can handle but not a stiff dough. Knead the dough thoroughly and cover it with a damp towel while it is rising.
Soft White Loaves
Step 1
Combine the yeast with the warm water in the bowl of the stand mixer. Let it sit for a few minutes while you measure the other ingredients.
Step 2
Add the salt, butter, sugar and warm milk to the yeast and stir until the butter melts.
Step 3
Add 2 cups of flour and begin mixing the dough on low. Gradually add the remaining flour. If the dough is too sticky, you may need to add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball and begins to clean the inside of the mixing bowl.
Step 4
Dump the dough out on a floured surface and continue kneading by hand until the dough is soft, stretchy, silky and then no longer silky.
Step 5
Clean out the mixing bowl, dry it and spray it with cooking spray. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Let it rise about an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 6
Cut the dough into two equal sections. Knead each one briefly, being careful not to add more flour at this stage. Shape each piece of dough into a loaf and put each one in a greased or sprayed loaf pan. Let the loaves rise until nearly double.
Step 7
Bake the loaves at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. It is all right to turn the oven on just before you begin baking the bread. At 45 minutes check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Bread is done when the internal temperature is approximately 195 degrees F. Empty the loaves out of the pans and let them cool on a clean kitchen towel.
Potato Bread
Step 1
Combine the yeast with the warm water in the bowl of the stand mixer. Let it sit for a few minutes while you measure the other ingredients. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, sugar and warm water or milk to the yeast. Mix on low to combine.
Step 2
Add 2 cups of flour and begin mixing the dough on low. Gradually add the remaining flour. If the dough is too sticky, you may need to add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball and begins to clean the inside of the mixing bowl. Dump the dough out on a floured surface and continue kneading by hand until the dough is soft, stretchy, silky and then no longer silky.
Step 3
Clean out the mixing bowl, dry it and spray it with cooking spray. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Let it rise about an hour until the dough has doubled in size. Cut the dough into two equal sections. Knead each one briefly, being careful not to add more flour at this stage. Shape each piece of dough into a loaf and put each one in a greased or sprayed loaf pan. Let the loaves rise until nearly double.
Step 4
Bake the loaves at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. It is all right to turn the oven on just before you begin baking the bread. At 45 minutes check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Bread is done when the internal temperature is approximately 195 degrees F. Turn the bread out on to a clean kitchen towel and allow it to cool before slicing.
Tips and Warnings
- Using oil instead of butter helps to keep the bread moist. Use mashed sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for a more colorful and sweeter bread. Wrap the bread airtight in plastic to store.
- This bread keeps well for three or four days. To keep it longer, wrap airtight and freeze the bread until needed. The water and milk should not be warmer than about 100 degrees F. If the water or milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand mixer with a dough hook
- Kitchen towels
- 2 loaf pans
- Cooking Spray
- Instant-read thermometer
- For a soft white loaf:
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 tsp. yeast
- 1 tbsp. soft butter
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup warm milk
- 4 cups flour
- For potato bread:
- 1 large potato, peeled, boiled, cooled and mashed until smooth
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 1 tbsp. yeast
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 2/3 cups warm or room-temperature milk
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