Simple White Bread

At a time when both bread shelves and even flour and sugar supplies are empty or limited in the store, it helps to have a simple, reliable bread recipe you can make with a minimum of ingredients.

This is our favorite Simple White Bread, it tastes like Mom’s, is quick to make, and can be made in a Kitchen aid mixer or by hand.  You can make this recipe into almost any bread product with bread pans or simply sheet pans or even a 12 inch pizza pan for round loaves. Check out the recipe below; along with some links on bread baking tips.

For success with this recipe method, you need to use bread machine or instant yeast.  Bread is done when an instant-read thermometer is stuck in the end of the loaf about 1 inch and reads around 200° plus or minus 5°.

Simple White Bread

Yield:  "2 Loaves”

  6 ¼    Cups  Flour, All-purpose  or Bread -- 1# 12 ounces

  3        Tablespoons  Sugar

  2        Packages  Instant Yeast or Bread Machine Yeast only

  2        Teaspoons  Salt

  1 ½    Cups  Water -- 120°-125°

     ½    Cup  Milk -- 120°-125°

  2        Tablespoons  Butter, oil or lard

In mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.  Heat water, milk and butter until very warm (120-125°).  Gradually add mixture to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally.  Change to dough hook and knead on speed 2 for 6 minutes.  (or knead 10 minutes by hand.)

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a tight cover; let rise 10 minutes in a warm place. (No need to grease the pan or dough if you cover it tightly.)

Loaves: (1 1/2 pound) Roll 1/2 of dough to 12 x 7" rectangle.  Beginning at short end, fold like an envelope, in thirds, tightly.  Pinch ends and seal.  Place in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2" loaf pan or a 4" x 10" loaf pan, seam side down.  Cover, let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 25 minutes.  Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Braids:  Divide 1/2 of dough into 3 equal pieces (8 ounces each).  Roll into 16" rope.  Braid on greased baking sheet.  Cover, let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.  Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over braid.  Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds if desired.  Bake at 400° for 25 minutes until done.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Pizza:  Grease 14" or two  12" round pizza pans.  Roll 1/2 of dough and fit into prepared pans. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes, top with sauce and desired toppings, return to oven and bake 10-15 minutes more until done.

Rolls:  Use 1/2 of dough.  Shape into 8-12 equal pieces and place in greased 8" pan.  Cover; let rise until doubled, 20-30 minutes. (Fill a 13 x 9" pan with the whole recipe).

For dinner rolls:  Top with egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water; sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

For onion rolls:  Top with egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons instant minced onion.

For any rolls, bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until done.  Cover with foil during last 5 minutes to prevent excess browning if necessary.

Remove from pan; let cool on wire rack.

For hamburger or brat buns:  Shape 3 ounce portions of the dough into rounds or oblong buns, flattening them.  Use half-sheets or jelly roll pans; I line mine with parchment paper or grease the pans.  (I used the egg wash from the dinner rolls on these).  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove from pan; let cool on wire rack.  Half of the recipe will make 8 buns; I often make 8 of each and slice and freeze them for grilling in the summer.

Our Favorite Yeast Bread Making Tips
Braiding Yeast Breads
Bread Ingredients and Finishes