Cooking web notes

How To Make Your Own Homemade Bread

When it comes to baking your own homemade loaf of bread, it's really a lot easier than you might think. All you need are a few basic ingredients and a loaf pan.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Make sure you use warm water. Hot water kills yeast!
2. Always make sure your yeast is fresh and not beyond the expiration date.
3. Let dough rise in a warm area of your kitchen. Do not let the dough rise in a hot area near your oven or stove.
4. Follow bread making recipes exactly. Do not skip any steps or ingredients.

Homemade Bread Recipe

2 cups milk, scalded
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
3 teaspoons salt
2 packages dry yeast, softened
1 cup warm water (not hot)
6 cups of Robin Hood Flour

Using a small bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm tap water. Let yeast mixture stand for 10 minutes. Scald milk in a saucepan. Add granulated sugar, salt and shortening in a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm temperature. Add yeast mixture and then add flour gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Turn dough out on a lightly floured dough board. Knead until smooth, then let it sit for about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a large bowl. Let dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Shape into loaves. Place in greased bread pans (use 1 1/4 pounds of dough for each loaf). Cover and let rise until double in size. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cool, then place bread in an airtight bread container.

This article is Copyright © 2009 By Shelly Hill and can not be reproduced without my permission.