This is such a great easy recipe and a good one for folks who are just now getting started making their own bread. With a minimum of ingredients, this bread turns out to be almost as good as the artisan type breads that have become so popular.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast; mix well. Add warm water and oil; mix well. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough 10 minutes or until smooth.
Place dough in lightly greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F) for 30 to 40 minutes.
Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal. Punch down dough. Shape dough into baguette-shaped loaf about 12 inches long. Place dough on cornmeal-coated cookie sheet.
Cover; let rise in warm place for 35 to 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. With sharp knife, make 1 deep lengthwise slash in top of loaf. Brush loaf with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when lightly tapped.
| Servings: | 8-10 |
| Time: | 20 Minutes Preparation Time 25-35 Minutes Cooking Time |
Source: This is a Pillsbury Classic Recipe and was taken from the back of a 5# bag of flour.
By Julia
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This is a good basic recipe for homemade bread.
However, the water should not be over 115 degrees; that would kill the yeast. While you're at it...make two.
Hi Vin Bruce,
Mixing the yeast in with the flour will allow you to use a higher temperature of water than you could if you were adding the yeast just to water like you would in proofing. The yeast cannot stand up to such a temperature as this recipe calls for unless it has "helpers" which cushion it.
Remember, I mentioned that this recipe came from the back of a 5# bag of Pillsbury flour. I can promise you without a doubt that Pillsbury knows exactly what they're talking about...so don't hesitate to use the higher temperature water as long as the yeast is mixed in with the flour.
I have a tendency to "protect" the yeast just a little as I used to think it was that fragile. Rapid Rise yeast calls for a much higher temperature anyway that just regular dry yeast. Your bread loaves are beautiful.
This last time I made bread, I used a couple of boiled potatoes along with the 4 cups of water, salt, sugar, a couple of eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1/2 pound of butter, along with 3 pkgs of dry yeast, and over 5 pounds of flour... Turned out 5 big loaves of bread and 12 large cinnamon rolls. After making the 5 loaves of bread, I had enough dough left over, so I just rolled it out, put lots of butter on it along with brown sugar, cinnamon and a handful of raisins. Rolled it up and cut it to make the 12 cinnamon rolls.
Bread has to be the most forgiving of all foods. You just have to understand what each ingredient adds to or works for in your recipe...and you really can't go wrong. Even if you get too much flour, you can still slice the baked bread, and toast it in the skillet with butter and the kids will love it with syrup.
All the best to you, Julia
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