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Farmhouse White Loaves

Source of Recipe

From "The Old Farmer's Almanac Comfort Food"


Recipe Introduction

"A superior, all-purpose sandwich and toasting loaf like Grandma used to make."

List of Ingredients

◦  2⅓ cups hot milk
◦  2 Tbsp (¼ stick) butter, in several pieces
◦  3 Tbsp sugar
◦  2½ tsp salt
◦  ¼ cup warm (105° to 115° F) water
◦  2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
◦  1 egg yolk
◦  6 to 6½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour


Recipe

Pour the milk into a large bowl. Add the butter, sugar, and salt and stir. Set aside to cool.

When the milk mixture is almost cooled, pour the water into a small bowl and sprinkle with the yeast. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes.

Add the dissolved yeast and egg yolk to the milk mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 4 cups of the flour. Beat well for 100 strokes. Set this "sponge" aside for 5 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour, â…“ cup at a time, to make a firm dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 9 to 10 minutes, or until smooth, supple, and elastic. Dust your hands and work surface with flour, as needed, to keep the dough from sticking.

Oil a large bowl, add the dough, and rotate it to coat the entire surface. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1½ hours.

Butter two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto the floured work surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Divide the dough in half, shape into balls, and let rest for 5 minutes. Shape into loaves and place in the pans. Cover the loaves loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot until almost doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Uncover the loaves and place them on the lower oven rack, evenly spaced. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden. Turn the loaves out of the pans and onto a cooling rack.


Makes 2 loaves