
Ingredients:
- Warm Water: 1 ¼ cups (105°F-115°F)
- Active Dry Yeast: 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet)
- Sugar: ¼ cup + 1 pinch
- Salt: 1 tablespoon
- Vegetable Oil: 2 tablespoons
- All-Purpose Flour: 5 ½ – 6 ½ cups
- Butter: (optional, for topping)
Instructions:
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, 1 pinch of sugar, and the yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy (this means the yeast is alive and active).
- Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar, salt, vegetable oil, and 3 cups of flour. Use your hand mixer to combine everything until it’s well mixed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture while using your hand mixer on low speed. Continue mixing until everything is incorporated.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add more flour, about ½ cup at a time, while continuing to mix. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl and become slightly sticky.
- Knead the Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface. Transfer the dough onto the floured surface and knead it for about 5-7 minutes. To knead, fold the dough over itself, press down with the heel of your hand, and turn it. The dough should become smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Shape the Bread: Punch down the dough to release the air. Divide it in half (or shape into rolls, if desired). Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan.
- Second Rise: Cover the loaf pans loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise again for about 30-45 minutes, or until it rises about 1 inch above the rim of the pans.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your gas oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake the Bread: Bake the bread for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the pans and let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Tips:
- If you don’t have a warm place for the dough to rise, you can create a warm environment by placing a bowl of hot water in the bottom of your oven (turned off) and placing the covered dough on a rack above it.
- For a softer crust, brush the top of the bread with melted butter before baking.