I grew up in Altadena, CA. I also used to make a lot of bread. So when a site I follow on Facebook, What's Up In Altadena, posted a bread recipe, I decided to try it.
It was easy and used my Kitchen Aid mixer. I have always enjoyed the process of kneading bread, but this recipe used my dough hook. I have never used it! Plus, I am now dealing with carpal tunnel problems, so saving my hands seemed like a good idea.
Amish White Bread
2 cups warm water, about 110-120 °
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast (2 packets of the 3)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups flour
Place the sugar and water in the bowl of your mixer. Stir to mix and then sprinkle the yeast on top.
Let it dissolve 5-15 minutes.
This is called the bloom.
Add the salt, oil and half the flour. Mix slowly to incorporate.
Then add the remaining flour, but don't mix. Replace the mixing paddle with the dough hook and mix slowly until the dough ball is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Sprinkle a bit of flour on the very clean counter and knead a few times.
Drizzle about 2 Tablespoons oil in a large mixing bowl and smear it all around and up the sides. Place the dough ball in the prepared bowl and flip it a few times to get it coated in oil. Cover with cling wrapp and place in a warm, draft free area until it doubles in size. Check in about 1 hour. I set a timer on my phone as I tend to get involved in projects and forget to look.
Remove the cover and place it upside down to use later Spray two bread pans with Pam.
Punch the dough down and lay it out on a surface sprinkled with flour. Cut it in half.
Knead the ball to get rid of air bubbles. Roll it out into a rectangle.
Pinch any remaining air bubbles. Roll it up tightly from the long side.
Pinch the seam closed.
Pinch the ends closed and fold over to make it a bit smaller than the size of the bread pan.
Pinch the seams. Place in the prepared pan and repeat with the second half.
Place in a warm spot and cover the pans with the saved cling wrap. Let rise until doubled, about 30-50 minutes. Mine took about 40 minutes. Set a timer so it doesn't rise too much. Pre-heat the oven to 350°.
Place in the center of the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.
Pull out and brush the tops with melted butter. Let cool 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Let cool before you cut into it. This could be the hardest part. If you cut too soon it will smush together.
This makes a very nice sandwich bread. But it is especially nice with a smear of softened butter.
