2 c Warm tap water; about 110
-degrees
2 1/2 ts (1 envelope) active dry
-yeast
5 1/2 cups unbleached; all
-purpose flour (up to 5)
1 tb Salt
1 tb Sugar
5 tb Unsalted butter; melted, or
-vegetable oil
Oil 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. Whisk yeast into warm water
and set aside while preparing other ingredients.
To mix dough by hand, place 5 cups flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl
and stir in yeast mixture and melted butter. Continue to stir until mixture
forms a rough dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and
knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If dough is excessively
soft and sticky, add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
To mix dough in a heavy duty mixer, place flour, salt and sugar in a mixer
bowl, add yeast mixture and melted butter and mix on low speed with dough
hook for about 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. If dough is
excessively soft and sticky, add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
To mix dough in food processor, place flour, salt and sugar in bowl fitted
with a metal blade. Pulse several times to mix. Add yeast mixture and
butter and pulse 8 to 10 times until dough forms a ball. If dough is
excessively soft and sticky, add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time,
and pulse, until dough forms a coherent ball. Let dough rest for 5 minutes,
then run the machine continuously for 30 seconds.
Place dough in oiled bowl and turn to oil all surfaces. Cover bowl with
plastic wrap and allow dough to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
Turn risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface (you may need the
help of a scraper). Deflate dough and divide into two equal pieces. To form
loaf, make sure the surface is free of excess flour, then stretch dough
into rectangle. Fold in short ends of dough until it is approximately the
length of the pan, then fold the far long edge over to the middle. Fold
over the other long side and compress to form a tight cylinder. Place the
loaf in the pan, seam side down. Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Repeat
with the second piece of dough. Allow to rise until doubled. When loaves
are almost doubled, preheat oven to 400 degrees and set rack at middle
level. When loaves are completely risen, place in oven and bake for 30
minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and firm and the internal
temperature is about 210 degrees. Unmold loaves to a rack to cool on their
sides.
Yields
1 Servings