** See Updated Below Recipe!**I have been looking for a good recipe for white bread since I got my bread machine back around Christmas time. All the recipes I have found are tasty but don't have that store bought fluffiness that my husband loves. Although I know white bread is not really healthy, my hubby loves it so I have been on a quest to find the perfect recipe. After much trial and error I have finally succeeded. This bread is nice and soft and so much better than store bought. I usually make a second batch of dough while the first is rising so we have enough for about 2 days.
Soft Fluffy White Bread
1 2/3 c. water
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. light olive oil (NOT extra virgin, it is too strong of a flavor for this bread)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 c. bread flour (don't try to use all-purpose, it won't work... not enough protein in the flour)
1 heaping Tablespoon Vital Wheat Gluten (I buy this at Wal Mart right near the yeast and flour)
2 tsp. quick rise yeast
Put the ingredients into your bread maker in the order suggested in the manual. Select the DOUGH cycle. When the dough is done, punch it down, divide it in half, form it into loaves and put it into buttered loaf pans. Cover it and let it rise about 45 - 60 minutes. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 45 minutes. Remove loaves from oven and cover with a kitchen towel for about 10 minutes or until you can easily shake the loaves out of the pans onto a cooling rack. When bread is cool enough to handle, put into plastic bags and tie shut, or you can slice the bread with an electric carving knife at this point and then put it in bags.
* NOTE: For added nutrition, you can substitute 1 c. of whole wheat flour for one cup of the white flour. You will still get a nice soft loaf, but it will not be completely white.
** Update**
Some people seem to have had problems with this recipe. I'm not sure why because it always works great for me. However, to offer all of you readers an alternative recipe. If you purchase a bag of Bob's Red Mill Brand All Purpose Flour there is a GREAT recipe on there for white bread that is just as soft and fluffy as this one, maybe more! I use it all the time and love it. Just a note, it is intended for a bread machine. However, I make it in my Kitchen Aid mixer and use 1 pkg. of yeast per loaf. Works GREAT! I make 4 loaves at time with no problems. Happy Bread Baking!
17 comments:
This sounds good Michelle! I bet the extra gluten gives it a great chewiness! I'll have to keep my eye out for that because there is nothing like a fresh loaf of good white bread.
Erika, it is SO GOOD! I am on my last loaf right now and will be baking it again tomorrow. Very yummy :0)
I just got a bread machine and I made this white bread recipe off of allrecipes.com and it was hard on the outside and a bit doughy on the inside. I think I will try this one and see how it turns out.
Thanks
Jarmelia Ladson
Jarmelia, I have tried so many recipes and this one really is the best. Let me know how you enjoy it!
So you use the vital wheat gluten in place of yeast? I have gluten flour...is that the same stuff? I really want to try this but when I went to make it I didn't see yeast in it anywhere...
Thanks for sharing!
Teri in CO
Hi Terri, you are the second person to contact me about the yeast today, I must have been in quite a rush when I typed this post! No, the wheat gluten is not in place of the yeast, I corrected the recipe above and have shown the yeast. It is 2 tsp. you will need to quick rise yeast. The Gluten flour you have will work just fine. It gives the bread a better texture and more loft. I apologize for the confusion by my error. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
I came across this website and it gave me that last nudge to start baking bread! WOW, what a great site. So, my first choice to make was your fluffy white bread and YUM, it turned out so good. Thank you so much for the recipe - its a new favorite for us.
catchick, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! It's one of our favorites too.
I too am on a quest for the perfect fluffy white loaf that my daughter loves. Please can you suggest how to mix ingredients without a bread machine? I have a Quisenart but no bread machine.
I hope you will try the recipe. If you want to make it in a mixer, just change the amount of yeast to 2 packages. Then combine the dry ingredients plus the yeast in the mixer until well combined. Next add the liquid ingredients and mix (with the dough hook) until well kneaded (about 12 minutes). Let rise in a bowl until doubled then divide into loaves and put in loaf pans. Let rise until 1 inch above pans and then bake.
Hi, recently i found your beautiful website. i wanted to try your soft fluffy bread but i don,t have a bread machine. is there any other option & ingredients that i can bake in oven.please reply.Thanks
You should be able to prepare this without a bread machine. Just up the yeast to 2 packages (4 1/2 tsp.) and use a stand mixer to blend the ingredients for 12 minutes. Or you can knead it by hand for about 12 minutes. If you do this be sure to blend the dry ingredients first then incorporate the wet ingredients.
Hi - I am from England & we use " Strong Flour" for baking bread, is this what you end up with after you have added your gluten to your flour? as we are unable to buy just gluten on its own.
Kind Regards
Karen ( England)
Hi Karen, yes I think the strong flour would work. Any high protein flour would work fine. I have made this without the gluten flour as well and although is lacks loft, it is still quite soft and fluffy.
hi Michele, after I baked the dough, the crust it turn out so hard...Do you have any idea, what is wrong with mine?
Ammy
a hard crust can be softened by wrapping the loaf in a dampened(soak, and then wring as much water out as possible) towel for an hour or so.
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I made the dough in the bread machine & baked it in the oven. It turned out really soft & fluffy! I had no problem with the recipe whatsoever.
Melanie
Post a Comment