I've been searching for the perfect sandwich-bread recipe for probably three or four years now. I can't tell you how many recipes I've tried. I've been looking for an even crumb and good heavy slices for sandwiches (i.e. not so fluffy that it falls apart when you spread peanut butter). Really I've been searching for the homemade bread of our childhood.
A few months ago, I went searching again in my cookbook of Mom's recipes and found a "Quick Bread" recipe that I hadn't tried. Surely this couldn't be the wonderful bread that I remembered! But I was willing to try anything. So I pulled out the recipe and started mixing. Even as I began the first kneading cycle, I could tell that something was different about this bread. It takes an extra rise and requires heating the milk (which many cookbooks label as "old-fashioned and not necessary"). I suspect the difference comes from heating the milk (though I'm not sure why) so don't skip that step. When the loaves came out of the oven, they quickly disappeared and my family proclaimed this to be the best bread ever. My search is over and I had the recipe the whole time.
A few months ago, I went searching again in my cookbook of Mom's recipes and found a "Quick Bread" recipe that I hadn't tried. Surely this couldn't be the wonderful bread that I remembered! But I was willing to try anything. So I pulled out the recipe and started mixing. Even as I began the first kneading cycle, I could tell that something was different about this bread. It takes an extra rise and requires heating the milk (which many cookbooks label as "old-fashioned and not necessary"). I suspect the difference comes from heating the milk (though I'm not sure why) so don't skip that step. When the loaves came out of the oven, they quickly disappeared and my family proclaimed this to be the best bread ever. My search is over and I had the recipe the whole time.
Grandma Coombs' Quick White Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 c. warm water (with a little sugar added in)
2 T. yeast
1 c. milk (I use whole)
1/2 c. warm water (with a little sugar added in)
2 T. yeast
1 c. milk (I use whole)
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter [Grandma used shortening]
1 T. salt [I use 2 teaspoons]
3/4 cups of ice water
6-7 cups of flour
1/4 c. butter [Grandma used shortening]
1 T. salt [I use 2 teaspoons]
3/4 cups of ice water
6-7 cups of flour
Directions:
Mix sugar and yeast into warm water until dissolved at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
Mix sugar and yeast into warm water until dissolved at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
In a different glass bowl or measuring container, mix the milk, 1/4 c. sugar, butter and salt. Heat until butter is melted and milk is scalded (about 2 minutes in my microwave). Add the cold water to the milk mixture to reduce the temperature.
Add milk mixture and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture in the mixing bowl.
Mix until combined. [I add an autolyse (sitting period) of 20 minutes here.]
Add 4+ cups more of flour until dough starts to form into a ball. Knead for 5 minutes in a mixer.
Let raise until double. Knead again for several minutes and raise again for 30 minutes.
Knead for a minute more - to work out bubbles. Put into pans, raise until doubled.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.
Mom told me several days ago that Grandma Coombs once won the Grand Prize at the Utah State Fair for her bread. It's a great recipe!
2 comments:
Mom also told me that throwing it at the counter and rolling it up were part of the reason this bread turns out so good. I don't know if you did that, but I could tell a difference!
Mom also told me that throwing it at the counter and rolling it up were part of the reason this bread turns out so good. I don't know if you did that, but I could tell a difference!
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