My Mother's Bread Recipe!

[deelady]

Let me know what you think of it and if you think any changes are needed? I was told by my Aunt that when my mother made this everyone had a smile on their face! I'm hopeing to make it for the first time next weekend!


Vicky's Perfect White bread

1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 c milk, scalded
2 T sugar
2 tsp salt
1 T shortening
5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour

Soften active dry yeast in warm water (110 degrees)
Combine hot milk, sugar, salt, and shortening. Cool to luke warm.
Stir in two cups of flour, beat well. Add the softened yeast; mix.
Add enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
Turn out on lightly floured surface;knead till smooth and satiny (8-10 min)
Shape into a ball; place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.Cover, let rise in warm place till doubled (about 1 1/4 hrs).
Punch down.

Cut dough into two portions. Shape each into smooth ball, cover and let rest 10 min. Shape into loaves, place in two greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.
cover and let rise till doubled (45-60 mins)
Preheat oven to 400.
Bake in hot oven 400 for 35 mins or until done. If tops brown too fast cover loosely with foil last 15 mins.
Makes 2 loaves.

Takes total time of about 4- 4 1/2 hrs to make start to finish.


Enjoy!

 

[justplainbill]

Looks like a nice recipe. For variety, you might want to try it sometime using bread flour, half as much sugar, 1 cup milk and 1 1/4 cup water.

 

[JoeV]

Yep, it's a nice recipe and you can tell it's been around for awhile by the scalding of the milk. No need to do that any longer with pasteurization and homogenization. I would also substitute Instant Yeast just because it's less expensive and does not need to be proofed.

Should be good sandwich bread.

Joe

 

[kitchenelf]

- I'm your mother?

I can't wait to hear how this turns out - I know you want to "do her proud"

 

[deelady]

Really your name is Vicky?? If you want to be my mother thats fine wiith me....just don't make me clean my room and make my bed...It's Sunday!!

I have instant dry yeast Joe but it expired last month.....? When I made that bread last week it worked fine but I don't know how much longer I have with it?? So you would just add the milk cold and not even warm it?

Thanks for your comments on it, I was so happy I found it, even though I knew it was somewhere near by!

 

[Uncle Bob]

I would not try to improve upon my mother's recipe...Make it as is or it's not her recipe. Spend your time and effort on perfecting the mechanics/process of making it....It will be fantastic!!!

Have Fun!

 

[JoeV]

If it worked last week, it will probably work today. If you are concerned, you can put the Instant Yeast in the 1/4 cup of warm water with half of the sugar, then mix it and wait about 10-15 minutes. If it starts to foam then you know your yeast is fine. I keep my yeast in the fridge so it stays fresh, and have the balance of the 1# bag in the freezer. It will keep for over a year. The expiration date is more for the last date for sale, but will almost always allow you to continue getting good results from it for 3-6 months.

Joe

 

[pacanis]

Yep, it's a nice recipe and you can tell it's been around for awhile by the scalding of the milk. No need to do that any longer with pasteurization and homogenization. I would also substitute Instant Yeast just because it's less expensive and does not need to be proofed.

Should be good sandwich bread.

Joe

I scalded some milk earlier this year. I was out of dry milk, called King Arthur (where I get my yeast and dry milk from) and they said I could substitute 1/4c scalded milk for the 3 TBS of dry, and then use that much less water. I was told to scald the milk so it won't affect the yeast negatively. I don't know if that's what deelady's mother had in mind, but it's still done, or at least there are people who think it still needs done.
And.... I have made bread using unscalded cold milk that came out just fine, too.

 

[deelady]

Great point Uncle Bob!

Thanks for the tip Joe! Like I said I will give it a go next weekend...if nothing gets in the way!

 

[Mama]

I'm with UB. It's all about the memeories you'll have while eating it.

 

[Aria]

Mom's Break Recipe

Yes. I am with Uncle Bob. This is your Mom's recipe and use it. You can experiment with other bread recipes.

 

[Jeni78]

Hi - I was searching a bread recipe and found this thread. I don't have shortening. Is there something else I could use? I'm a total beginner cook.

 

[deelady]

Hi - I was searching a bread recipe and found this thread. I don't have shortening. Is there something else I could use? I'm a total beginner cook.

I have made bread recipes using the same measurement in olive oil.

 

[QUEEN-GUINEVERE]

Hi - I was searching a bread recipe and found this thread. I don't have shortening. Is there something else I could use? I'm a total beginner cook.

Butter, margarine, veggie oil.....