Recipe by Karen Haldeman, Cincinnati, Ohio
First place, Yeast Breads (White), 2017
Baking temperature: 400 degrees
Baking time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: 2 standard loaves
Ingredients
- 6-7 c King Arthur bread flour
- 3 T sugar
- 1 ½ t salt
- 2 T shortening
- 2 pkg. active dry yeast
- 2 ¼ c very warm water (120-130 degrees F)
- 2 T melted butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir 3 ½ c of flour, sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed
- Add warm water and beat on low speed 1 minute. Then beat on medium speed for 1 minute
- Stir in enough additional flour, a cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle
- Knead dough on a floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic- about 10 minutes
- Place dough in oiled bowl, turning to coat dough, and cover with damp towel. Allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour)
- Grease two standard loaf pans
- Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface
- Divide dough in half and shape into two loaves and place in prepared pans
- Cover pans with damp towel and allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour)
- Bake in center of pre-heated oven
- 5 minutes before end of baking, brush tops with melted butter
- Remove from pans immediately and cool loaves on wire rack