Finally: The Best White Bread Recipe

I've been struggling with white bread for a long time now.  My brother once found a good recipe for a bread, but when I made it, it was super dense.  I had only used the ingredients list - disregarding the instructions.  It was a gorgeous, sweet bread that I would bake in a bundt pan.  It is great when dips are put in the center of this amazing bread.

But it wasn't everyday sandwich bread.

So I searched and searched for a good sandwich bread.  I tried Italian breads, white breads, but none worked out.  Most of them were too crumbly and fell apart in my hands.

For whatever reason, I went back to the bread recipe my brother found.  When I read the instructions, I found out why it was so dense.  I only let it rise once.    When I truly followed the recipe, trumpets sounded, clouds parted, and life was good.  And now, the recipe.


Amish White Bread

To two cups of warm water, add 2/3 cup of white sugar.  Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of yeast, stir, and allow to proof.  It takes about ten minutes, until it looks like this:

 Once finished proofing, add 1/4 cup of oil:

And 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt: 

 Mix well.  Then add 6 cups of flour, bit by bit.

 I usually begin by stirring then end up kneading the bread well.

 Oil a bowl, and turn the dough to coat.

I usually put the bowl, uncovered, to rise in a warm-ish oven (turn it on low for 2-3 minutes and turn it off).

 When the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it in two.  

 Quickly kneed and shape each loaf.  Put each in a lightly greased loaf pan. 

 Allow it to rise a second time until the loaf is approximately one inch above the pan.  Then bake for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Oh my gosh.  Is it ever tasty?!  Take my word for it - it smells amazing and tastes even better.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.