Makig 6 loaves of white bread by hand!

I'm going to focus on posting my bread recipes this week. With the weather being cooler out and the arrival of fall it's bread baking season again!! Oh and apple pie~but that's a whole other post:)

This recipe below is my favorite, most used recipe that seems to always turn out right. It makes 6 loaves which is great for a large family when you don't want to use your bread machine! Kneading the dough feels therapeutic to me! My little ones love it too. I often let them help knead the dough or give them a piece of their own and they think it's so much fun!

This recipe is very simple to make and smells wonderful baking in the oven. It's also great for sandwiches or served with soups and stews. Perfect for the fall! enjoy!

Basic white bread

Ingredients:

~6 cups hot water

~3/4 cup oil

~3 tbs salt

~4 1/2 tbs sugar

~15 cups flour

~5 ts instant yeast

~2 tbs oil (to coat the kneaded dough)

Method:

Take huge mixing bowl and pour in your water, oil, salt and sugar. Mix well until all sugar and salt are melted. Then add 13 cups of the flour and sprinkle yeast on top. Mix with a wooden spoon until you no longer can and then start kneading by hand adding the last 2 cups of flour gradually. Knead well for about 5- 10 minutes until your dough is smooth and easy to knead. You might have to add a little more flour if your dough is still sticky after kneading for a bit.

Stretch the dough like in the picture below to help you with the kneading. Knead and stretch, knead and stretch.......This trick really does work to help make your dough more workable and for good rising.
The method for kneading is as follows.

Fold your dough in half with the one half on top of the other or the bottom half on top of the top half(I almost like that way better)

Then with the bottom part of your hands press the dough down and to the side of the bowl. ( I am showing one hand kneading cause I had to hold the camera with the other:) Repeat this process over and over turning your dough and folding it over to knead. (for 5-10 minutes)
When the dough is thoroughly kneaded pour your 2 tbs's of oil into the bottom of your bowl and roll your big ball of kneaded dough around in it coating all sides well. Cover your bowl loosely with plastic wrap. This seems to help make the dough rise better than covering your bowl with tea towels. I'm guessing it's because it traps the heat and gasses in more thoroughly.
Then set your bowl into a mildly lukewarm(and turned OFF) oven for rising

When your dough is nice and big the fun begins:)
Punch it down and knead it again just a bit to get the air bubbles out. Then divide it into 6 equal portions. shape each portion into a nice round topped loaf and put into greased bread pans. You don't own any bread pans? No problem!! Just use a cookie sheet!! I only have 4 pans right now so I had to use 1 cookie sheet too:)
Then set each pan into your slightly lukewarm (and turned OFF) oven for about 30 minutes. Until they rise nice and big and juicy looking:)
Then take them out of your oven and preheat it to 350F. When your oven is fully heated up return your risen loaves into your hot oven and bake for about 15 minutes!! It's as simple as that!!
This bread is very simple, uses basic ingredients and tastes GREAT!!! Enjoy!

Let me know if you try it!!


If you haven't already, please read the post below this one to find out about the changes on this blog!

to learn how to make BROWN bread go HERE