January 1, 2015

Grandma’s White Bread

There’s nothing I love more than good homemade bread. This was a recipe my grandma used to make for her family. It takes a little bit to make but it’s so worth it. The smell of warm bread in the oven just fills the air and it’s so amazing. My mom just found grandma’s old cookbook and gave it to me. It’s all worn and the pages are stuck together. The book is probably over 100 years old. There are so many beautiful recipes and memories in that book I can’t wait to try more.

Ingredients

1 oz. compressed yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water
2 tbsp. shortening
6 cups All-purpose flour
egg wash (optional)

Directions

Dissolve shortening, salt, and sugar in hot liquid. (I’m coping this from the book, so I’m assuming the hot liquid is the hot water.) When cool crumble yeast over this and stir. Add ½ of flour, which has been sifter, beat until smooth. Add rest of flour gradually. When dough is too heavy to stir, place on a floured board and knead until it is light and springy about 15 minutes. Dough should not stick to hands.

Let dough rest a few minutes, grease lightly and return to bowl to raise about and hour. When double in bulk, cut in half and shape into 2 loaves and place in greased pans.

(I did free form loaves, you can do either) Let raise again till bread reaches top of pans and bake in pre-heated oven 375 degrees for 50 minutes, or until it loosens from pan a bit. Remove and place on rack until cool.