Amish White Bread

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x5-inch loaf pans (2)
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen scale (recommended)
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the yeast

   Warm your milk to 110°F. This matters. Too cool and the yeast sleeps. Too hot and you kill it. Use a thermometer until you can gauge temperature by touch. Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let it rest for 5 minutes. You're looking for foam and bubbles forming on top. This tells you the yeast is alive and hungry. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast is dead. Start over with fresh yeast.

   Test water temperature on your wrist like baby formula. It should feel warm but not hot.
2. 2

   Build the dough

   Add the softened butter and salt to the yeast mixture, stirring until the butter melts into streaks throughout the liquid. Add 3 cups (375g) of flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. This develops gluten before you add the remaining flour. The mixture should look like thick pancake batter with long strands pulling from the spoon. Add flour one cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. You'll use between 6 and 6 1/2 cups total, depending on humidity and how you measured.

3. 3

   Knead until smooth

   Turn the shaggy dough onto a floured surface. Now you work. Knead by pushing the heel of your hand into the dough, folding it over, rotating a quarter turn, and repeating. Add flour sparingly when it sticks to your hands. After 8 to 10 minutes of steady kneading, the dough transforms. It becomes smooth and elastic, bouncing back when you poke it. The surface should feel like a baby's cheek: soft, smooth, with just the faintest tack. This is called the windowpane stage. Pinch off a small piece and stretch it thin. If light passes through without tearing, you've developed enough gluten.

   Resist adding too much flour. Wetter dough produces softer bread. A bench scraper helps manage sticky dough without over-flouring.
4. 4

   First rise

   Grease a large bowl with butter or oil. Place the dough inside and turn it once to coat all surfaces. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set it in a warm spot, around 75-80°F. The top of your refrigerator works. So does an oven with just the light on. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't rush this. The yeast is producing carbon dioxide and alcohol, both of which create flavor and texture. Poke the dough with your finger. If the indent stays, it's ready. If it springs back, give it more time.

5. 5

   Shape the loaves

   Punch down the risen dough with your fist. This isn't violence; it's redistribution. You're popping large gas bubbles to create a finer, more uniform crumb. Turn the dough onto a clean surface (no flour needed now) and divide it in half. A kitchen scale ensures equal loaves. Working with one piece at a time, pat it into a rough rectangle about 8 by 12 inches. Starting from a short end, roll the dough tightly toward you, pressing gently to seal each turn. Pinch the seam closed. Tuck the ends under and place seam-side down in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Repeat with the second piece.

6. 6

   Second rise

   Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Let them rise in that same warm spot until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. This takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough should look puffy and feel pillowy when gently pressed. While the loaves rise, position your oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F. Give the oven a full 20 minutes to stabilize.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Place both pans in the oven with at least 2 inches of space between them for air circulation. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The loaves are done when the tops turn deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. Here's the old baker's test: tip a loaf out of the pan and tap the bottom. It should sound hollow, like knocking on a door. If it thuds, it needs more time. Return it to the pan and bake 5 minutes longer.

   If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
8. 8

   Cool completely

   Remove the loaves from pans immediately and place on a wire rack. Brush the tops with softened butter while still hot. This creates a soft, glossy crust. Now comes the hardest part: waiting. The bread continues cooking as it cools, and the crumb sets during this time. Cutting too soon produces a gummy interior and compressed slices. Give it at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. The aroma will test your patience. Stay strong.

Chef Tips

• •Store at room temperature in a bread box or paper bag for up to 4 days. The crust stays softer in plastic, but paper keeps it from getting soggy.
• •This bread freezes beautifully. Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature in the wrapping to prevent condensation.
• •For sandwich bread with perfectly even slices, refrigerate the loaf for 30 minutes before cutting. A serrated knife with gentle sawing motion prevents compression.
• •Day-old slices make superior French toast and bread pudding. The slight staleness absorbs custard without turning to mush.
• •Instant yeast can substitute for active dry. Use the same amount but skip the blooming step. Add it directly to the flour.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be refrigerated after the first rise for up to 24 hours. Cold fermentation develops flavor. Let it warm to room temperature for 1 hour before shaping.
• •Shaped loaves can be frozen before the second rise. Wrap tightly in plastic. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let rise at room temperature before baking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 slice (about 60g)