Blue Ribbon White Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the evaporated milk, 1/4 cup water, shortening, honey, salt and 2 cups flour. Stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll out each half and roll into loaf shapes, sealing seams by pinching. Place in buttered 9x5 inch bread pans. Butter the tops of each loaf with melted butter; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm area until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Place a small pan of hot water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Uncover loaves and bake until tops are golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes. Brush butter onto crusts while warm. Slice when cool.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk powder, shortening, sugar, salt, ginger and 3-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk powder, shortening, sugar, salt, ginger and 3-1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Sprinkle dry yeast in warm (110 degrees) water.
• Melt shortening in sauce pan over low heat, then add milk.
• Scald milk (150 degrees) in sauce pan, then remove from heat.
• Add sugar and salt stirring until dissolved.
• Cool to lukewarm.
• Add 2 cups of sifted flour and beat with hand mixer on lowest speed, then add yeast/water mixture.
• Stir in 2 to 3 more cups of flour. (I use my wooden spoon for this).
• When dough becomes too stiff to stir, turn out onto well floured surface.
• Knead until smooth and satiny, and "blisters" start to appear. (10 minutes). During this step, I keep the kneading surface well floured to prevent the dough from becoming sticky. Depending upon the temperature and humidity, more or less flour becomes incorporated into the dough. I have found that this is fine. The dough seems to know how much flour it needs. I am sure sometimes I add another full cup! Since this is all sifted flour, it is probably not as much as it seems. When the dough has enough flour, it stops "taking it in", and becomes very smooth and elastic.
• Shape into a ball.
• Put into large greased bowl, turning over to coat entire surface.
• Cover with warm damp towel, then place another towel over that.
• Put in oven (not lit) with light on, or other warm, not drafty place.
• Let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down. (this step is a light kneed in the bowl).
• Let rise again until doubled. (about 45 minutes).
• Divide dough into 2 pieces and shape each into a ball placing on floured surface. (about 700 Gms each).
• Proof Bread - Cover and let bread rest for 10 minutes.
• Grease 2 loaf pans (I use 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 glass pans).
• Flatten balls, one at a time, into long rectangles about 8x16 inches.
• Roll up lengthwise shaping into loaves to fit pan.
• Cover and let rise again until double. (about an hour).
• I sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds to keep towel from sticking.
• Bake in hot (400°F) oven for 35 - 40 minutes, covering with foil last 20 minutes, if tops get too brown.
• When bread is done, remove from pans at once, placing on a wire rack to cool, keeping away from drafts.
• For soft crust, brush tops with butter and cover with a damp cloth. I prefer a firmer crust and love hearing the cracking noise as it cools.
• I slice the bread when cool, eat what we want, and put remainder of the loaves in the freezer.