Fresh Bread

Yum! The smell of fresh bread in the house…*drool* 

Do you remember the “trial and error” part of my blog. Well here we are! This is my first ever attempt at homemade bread. My awesome mother in-law had given me a Kitchenaid Mixer a few years back (I LOVE IT I might ad) so I chose a bread recipe that was in the Kitchenaid Mixer recipe book.  It’s called Cool Rise Bread. It says it’s the easiest for beginners, so I figured I better start at square 1.

Here is the Recipe:

Place 5 1/2 cups flour, 2 T. sugar, 3 1/2 t. salt, 3 packages of active dry yeast and 1/4 c. butter or margarine (softened) in your mixer bowl. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 20 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and mix about 1-1/2 minutes longer.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining 1/2 cup to 1-1/2 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) and mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl, about 2 minutes. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer.

Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes your dough will have risen considerably. Divide the dough in half.

Place the dough in greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans.

Brush each loaf with oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 12 hours. When ready to bake, uncover dough carefully. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Puncture any gas bubbles. Bake at 400 degrees 35-40 minutes.

My bread didn’t look like a perfect loaf but mmmm it sure was good!