Homemade Bread

Before I learned how to bake bread the entire process seemed so intimidating. I found a recipe for making dinner rolls and did a bit of tweaking to come up with this basic bread recipe designed just for beginners, like myself.  Just follow the directions and you'll get a nice loaf of bread.

  

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of dry yeast (active or rapid)
• ¼ cup of warm water
• 1 cup of milk
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¾ tsp salt
• 3 cups of flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water (make sure water is warm and not hot).
2. Place milk and butter in a small bowl and microwave until milk is warm (not hot), this should take about a minute.
3. To the yeast mixture add the egg, sugar, salt and one cup of flour.
4. Mix in the warm milk and butter mixture. (Must be warm if it is hot you will kill the yeast).
5. Add another cup of flour and mix.
6. Add a third cup of flour and to form a wet, sticky dough.
7. Place dough on a floured board/counter and knead. Add more flour in when the dough gets too sticky. (Don't work too much flour into the dough).
8. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic, but still soft and slightly sticky. Form into a smooth ball.
9. Place dough in a lightly greased mixing bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm spot, until double in size.
10. After dough has doubled, shape and set in a loaf pan.
11. Allow to rise and double in size again (about 30-45 minutes).
12. Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Turn bread out on a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy!!