Yummmy. What’s better to do on a cold winter day than to make homemade bread?
White Bread
4 cups warm {105-115 degrees} water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast {I use the packages that contain 3 and use all 3 packs}
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey or 2/3 cup sugar
10 to 12 cups all-purpose or bread flour {I use bread flour}
Pour the water into a very large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Add the yeast, salt, oil, honey, and 5 cups of the flour, and mix to combine. Gradually mix in an additional 5 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough is smooth. {add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, if necessary}
Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface, or with the dough hook on low for 12 minutes. Cover with a dish towel and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 30 to 45 minutes. Generously grease three 9×5 loaf pans and set them aside.
Punch down the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead it briefly to remove the air bubbles. Divide the dough into thirds, knead each section a few times, and shape it into a loaf. Place the dough into the prepared pans. Cover with a dish towel and let rise 30 to 45 minutes. The dough is ready to bake when you press down slightly with your finger and the indentation remains.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes. Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. To freeze loaves, place in resealable plastic freezer bags and store up to two months in the freezer. {makes 3 loaves}
Variation: to make cinnamon bread, roll out each section and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar as desired. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of water over the dough and roll lengthwise. Place in a greased bread pan. Let rise and bake as above.
I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me with never be thirsty. John 6:35
