sandwich.bread

My new weekly thing seems to be to make a loaf of bread and I really look forward to it. Not only do I think fresh baked bread is probably the best thing in the world (my Death Row meal would most likely consist of 6 fresh baguettes and a few sticks of butter), but it’s getting easier and easier to rock a fabulous loaf as I tweak the recipe a bit each time. And I’ve got it.

• Proof 1 3/4 teaspoons fresh yeast in 1 cup warm water
• Add 3 cups bread flour, 2 TB melted butter, 2 TB sugar and a dash of salt to your mixer
• With the dough hook, add water to bowl and mix at a medium speed
• If flour is still dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time – too sticky means it will stick to the bowl and not knead properly (then you have to use your hands to do it and that’s just crazy talk)
• Allow the dough hook to knead the dough for 5 minutes
• Set dough ball in lightly oiled bowl, cover with tea towel and rise on a heating pad until doubled in size

Punch down dough and roll onto a well floured surface. Roll in a loose rectangle shape until the dough is about half an inch thick. Roll the dough onto itself forming a big tube, then bring ends to meet in the middle. Lightly form the loaf with your hands to ensure the tucked in ends stay and and place in your loaf pan. Lightly flour top, replace tea towel, and rise once again on your heating pad until the dough rises 2 inches or so above the sides of the pan.

Bake for 25 minutes in a 350* degree oven and bask in the delicious smells of your kitchen.

Cool (as long as you can stand), cut, and eat. Your bread will last about a week if kept sealed in a plastic bag, but is best used for sandwiches within the first 3 days. So. Good. And easy!!