Bread Success

When I was still pregnant with Sara Catherine I started on this crazy Betty Crocker spree. If it wasn't cookies or cakes, it was bread. I was determined to find a bread recipe that could replace the loaf of air and preservatives that I bought from the store every week. My efforts fell flat however, at least with my husband. The recipes I found were too dense he said, to be good sandwich bread. You see while he mostly supports me in my endeavours I think he expects me to be able to make store bought bread at home. Not happening buddy. It takes a lot of air crap ingredients to make bread that light and fluffy. I finally found an awesome french bread recipe and it spurred me to try my hand at sandwich bread again. The result success, finally. The recipe is from Martha Stewart. I follow it mostly, but reduce the salt by half and add 1/2 c of flax meal in place of 1/2 c of flour and I leave out the butter in the recipe. I also use bulk yeast instead of packets and get good results with 5 tsp. Oh yeah and the Kitchen Aid with dough hook rocks. That is all.

2 envelopes active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (about 105°)
1/4 cup honey or granulated sugar
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus
1 teaspoon melted unsalted butter, for bowl
2 tablespoons coarse salt
6-7 cups all-purpose flour, plus
more flour, for dusting

Directions
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add honey, butter and salt; whisk until yeast is dissolved.
Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups flour; mix on low speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add 3 more cups of flour; mix until incorporated.
On a lightly floured surface, knead dough, adding up to 1 cup more flour as needed; knead until smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky, about 5 minutes (I do this with my dough hook in the mixer).
Let rise in a large buttered bowl, covered with plastic wrap in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400.
Butter two 4 ½ by 8 ½ inch loaf pans.
Punch down the dough; transfer to a lightly floured surface.
Divide dough in half.
Gently knead each piece until smooth.
Shape each piece into a loaf, tucking sides underneath to form a seam down the middle.
Place loaves, seam side down, in buttered pans.
Let rise until dough reaches top of pans, 15 to 20 minutes.
Brush top of loaves with butter.
Bake until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on bottom (briefly turn out loaf to test), 35 to 45 minutes.
Let cool slightly in pans on wire racks; unmold.
Let cool until just warm before slicing.