Homemade White Bread

Step 1: Grease a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 2: In another large mixing bowl, add the yeast, salt, sugar, oil, and hot water. Mix ingredients together for 2 minutes on medium speed.

Step 3: Add 2-1/2 cups of flour and the powdered milk and mix for another 2 minutes.

Step 4: With a wooden spoon, stir in 3 cups of bread flour. Remove the dough from the bowl out onto a lightly floured counter top or table.

Step 5: Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You may need to sprinkle a little flour on your dough or counter top a couple of times as you knead until it doesn’t stick to your surface any more.

Step 6: Place the dough into the greased bowl and then flip the dough over so greased side is up. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap; don’t tighten it down, just lay it over the bowl loosely. The plastic keeps the dough from drying out too much.

Step 7: Let the dough rise until double in a warm place It can be a sunny window or on a warm clothes dryer that is running. It can rise as quickly as 45 minutes in those warm places. Otherwise, it can take up to 1 hour to 1½ hours depending on the temperature in your house. (If you are not sure if the bread has doubled, you can test the dough by pressing the dough on the top with the tips of your two fingers. Press lightly and quickly about 1/2 inch into the dough. If the impression stays, the dough is doubled and is ready to be shaped into the pans. If the indent disappears quickly, it needs a little more time; cover and let rise a bit longer)

Step 8: Lightly grease 2 bread loaf pans with shortening.

Step 9: After the dough has risen, remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto the counter. Divide dough in half and shape it into bread loaf pans. Cover with kitchen towel and let rise until doubled; approximately 45 minutes.

Step 10: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 30-40 minutes (everyone's oven temperature varies, so keep that in mind) Loaves should be golden brown on the top. After bread is done, remove loaves from pans onto a wire rack to cool.

Step 11: Take a wet paper towel, and it can be really good and wet. Wipe off the tops of the baked loaves of bread while it is still hot. This does not make your bread soggy. It keeps the bread crust soft! But, you can skip this step if you want.

Step 12: Let it cool completely before cutting, if you can. If you insist on eating a slice of bread before it is cool, use a electric knife or a large serrated bread knife so the loaf doesn’t get squashed down when you are cutting it. Spread some butter on your slice of bread and enjoy!