-1 cup warm water (around 110°F)
-1/4 cup whole milk (around 110°F)
-2 1/4 teaspoons Fleischmann’s active dry yeast
-2 tablespoons white sugar
-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-3 1/4 cups White Lily bread flour
*You will need lard or shortening to grease a metal or glass bowl and a 9x5 loaf pan
Mix first 4 ingredients together and cover for 5 to 7 minutes until the yeast has “proofed.”
Then, add in butter, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Mix together on low speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add in the rest of the flour and mix for 2 minutes. Knead the dough for 3 more minutes or until the dough slowly springs back when you poke it. If using a KitchenAid style mixer, this will come together much faster than using a hand mixer and kneading by hand.
Grease a large metal or glass bowl with lard or shortening and put dough in. Turn it to coat it. Cover with a thin towel and let it rise in a warm, dark place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in size. (I always do 1 hour and 5 minutes.)
Punch down the dough and place on a lightly floured surface. Press out flat and roll into a log shape. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Add dough. Cover and let rise in a warm, dark place for 1 more hour.
Before the last hour is up, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the bread on the lowest rack for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and it sounds hollow when you tap it. (33 minutes is good for me.) Turn it out of pan almost immediately and cool completely on a wire rack. When cool, slice from the bottom. Store tightly covered. Enjoy! :)
