Wednesday, June 24, 2009

"Best Ever" White Bread

Did you ever notice that a lot of things claim to be the "best ever"? I'm sure we've all tried about a gazillion recipes for the "best ever" something or other. However, I wanted to try another recipe from this book which I got at a used book sale in April (there was a coffee cake a while back), so Best Ever White Bread it was! Of course, I made some changes to the recipe so it could be mixed in the bread machine, swapped out lard for butter (I just don't need any more lard piled on my derriere, and don't tell me butter does the same, thanks), and added butter to the top. The result was pretty and tasty!

BEST EVER WHITE BREAD

1-1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
4 cups flour
3 tsp or 6 tsp yeast

additional butter

Mix all ingredients except the additional butter according to my directions (see link on the sidebar to the right). After it rises about 15 minutes, split the dough into 2 pieces, and fit one into each of two greased bread pans. Let it rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, then run a serrated knife the length of the bread no more than 1/4" deep, and let it continue to rise a bit longer. Just before you put it in the oven, lay slivers of butter in the cut, and bake the bread at 350F for glass or 375F for metal pans for 22 to 26 minutes, depending upon how dark you want the crust. Let it cool a few minutes before removing from the pans, and a bit longer before slicing.

Note: this bread can be left in the bread machine. Just before the baking cycle begins, melted butter can be drizzled over the top of it, if you wish.

And, Sabina in Australia, if you'll leave me your email address, I have some suggestions for bread for your husband.

Today, the boys are out strawberry picking. Look for more on that tomorrow, brought to you by Thor! (That presupposes I don't eat myself into a strawberry coma tonight.)

11 comments:

Paula said...

All of your bread recipes are the best ever recipes for me! I had several quarts of strawberries sitting on my counter for me to make jam. Then the locusts, I mean children and husband, descended upon them. Needless to say, there is no jam in my fridge. Sob. A warm slice of your white bread with some strawberry jam on it would cheer me up tremendously. I'm curious, do you ever do artisan style loaves? You know, kind of free form and not in pans?

Christo Gonzales said...

I wish I baked more bread because if I did I would use everyone of your recipes!

Tatersmama said...

Mmmmmm.... this sounds delicious!
And I'm with you on the lard thing.
Butter just sounds better, doesn't it?
Remember the old tongue twister? Betty beats better butter, with her better butter beaters.

So, if there's tongue twister about lard, I wanna hear it!

noble pig said...

That does look like the best bread ever...very fluffy...butter all the way.

Mickle in NZ said...

Two great looking loaves. Confess I'm an olive oil rather than butter for most bread I make.

My dear Dad lets the bread machine do all the mixing too. He's only baking for himself and dear Mum and is onto his 3rd machine. The first 2 wore out beyond repairing!

With so many of the College kids home I guess your two loaves were soon munched up by the very happy masses.

Enjoy those strawberries

Mickle and Zebby (asleep under a quilt, sheesh - its not that cold)

SissySees said...

Beautiful bread! I'm waiting for the strawberries though... and Thor.

Melanie said...

Oh, I cannot wait to try this!!

buffalodick said...

That recipe would work like mad... It's actually pretty close to one I use when I want a sweeter white bread..

tavolini said...

Neat--I always use water in my bread, I'll have to try it with milk. Looks nice and airy :)

pam said...

You can see how light and fluffy that bread is. Your crust is perfect!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for offering me some advice for my husband on gluten free baking.

Is there any way of giving you my email address without the whole world seeing it. Husband is very security conscious.

Do you have an email address on your blog?

Hugs,
Sabina x (Australia)