White Bread
5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons butter, margarine, or shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
In a large mixing bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter, and salt just until warm (120-130 degrees) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much remaining flour as you can.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total); Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes).
Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans.
Shape dough halves into loaves by patting or rolling. To shape by patting, gently pat and pinch, tucking edges underneath. To shape by rolling, on a lightly floured surface roll each dough half into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Roll up each rectangle starting with the short side. Seal seams with your fingertips.
Place shaped dough halves in prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size (30 to 40 minutes).
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped (if necessary, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.) Immediately remove bread from pans, Cool on wire racks.
