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Super Soft Homemade Bread Recipe

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 1 loaf

Incredible, super soft (and simple!) homemade bread.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position in the oven possible and pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Once the oven temperature reaches 200 degrees, maintain the heat for 10 minutes, then turn off the oven.As that heats, put the yeast, very warm water and honey in a bowl. Cover and set atop the warming oven. After 10 minutes, continue to step 4.
  2. Mix 3½ C of the flour and the salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Mix the milk, butter, and yeast mixture in a large bowl. Add the flour and gently mix together with your hand. When the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball, for about 8 - 12 minutes until elasticy. You may need to add a touch more flour or water, depending on the humidity levels in your house.
  4. Pour a dollop of oil into the large dirty bowl and place the dough in after, rubbing or shaking it lightly around the bowl to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warmed oven until the dough doubles in size, 40 to 50 minutes. Be sure you've turned the oven off at this point or you'll melt the plastic!
  5. Gently shape the dough into a rectangle no longer than 9 inches. If necessary, press the edges over to the bottom with your fingers to make sure the dough sticks to itself. Turn the dough seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place the dough seam-side down in a greased 9 X 5" loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel; set aside in a warm spot until the dough almost doubles in size, 20 to 30 minutes. The top of the oven works well here too.
  6. Keep one oven rack at the lowest position and place the other at the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan or kettle. Pour the boiling water into the empty pan on the bottom rack and set the loaf onto the middle one. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 195 degrees. OR if you don't have a thermometer, until the crust is golden and sounds hollow when you gently knock on the top. Remove the bread from the pan, transfer to a wire rack, and cool as long as you can stand it.
  7. Eat.

Notes

Recipe by She Eats at https://sheeats.ca/2014/01/super-soft-homemade-bread-recipe/