Grandma’sHomemade Bread

Directions

• Use 1/2 cup of warm water and pour into bowl. I pour straight into my mixing bowl.
• Next stir in yeast and sugar and let sit for about 5-15 minutes until the top looks foamy.
• While you are waiting for this to foam up boil a kettle of water.
• Add the rest of your water and about half of the flour once the foam has appeared.
• Mix until well blended. I like to use my dough hook for this. Next, add the rest of the flour, salt and butter until well combined. Do this until it is smooth and elastic. You can also do this part by hand if you want it will just take a little more elbow grease.
• Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and knead a few more times and make sure it is evenly smooth. Shape into a ball and put into a pre-oiled large bowl.
• First cover the bowl with parchment paper then cover with a tea towel.
  
• Take a large pan like a lasagna size pan and fill this pan with your boiled water this will go on your very bottom rack of your oven on about the third rack you will place your covered dough and close the oven door. “Your oven should not be on!!!!!”
• Let your dough rise in the oven until doubled in size about 1-1 1/2 hours the steam from the water will help proof the dough and it will rise much nicer without the crusty edges.
• Butter 2 loaf pans. Punch down the dough that has finished rising and shape into rectangles about 9″ x 12 ” remember to discard the boiled water that is in the oven on the bottom rack.
• Cover the loaf pans with tea towel’s and let rise for about an hour.
• Wipe down the inside of your oven it may just have a little condensation in it.
• Preheat oven to 375 F and put the rack in the middle of the oven.
• Once the dough has risen place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the loaves are a nice golden brown on top.
• Immediately flip the loaves out of the pan and onto the rack to cool. This process will not take long because everyone will want a slice of it!