Charlene's Recipe

Basic white bread

Category: Bread

Makes 1 loaf (about 16 slices)
Complete in 3 hours and 30 minutes

1 envelope active dry yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water (about 105 degrees)
3- 3 1/2 cup bleached all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt

Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water in a measuring cup; gently mix to moisten yeast. Let stand 10 minutes to soften; mixture will be foamy.
Stir together 3 cup flour and salt in a large bowl. Pour yeast mixture onto flour. Add remaining 1 cup warm water; if too wet; add a little more flour.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place dough in a greased large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a clean towel or plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 1/2- 2 hours to test, stick a finger in dough; dent should remain when finger is removed. Punch down dough.
Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 5/8-inch loaf pan. Roll dough out to a 20x8-inch rectnagle on a lightly floured surface. Roll up from a short side. Press ends to seal; fold ends under loaf. Place,seam side down in prepared pan. Cover; let rise until doubled in volume; about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400. Bake 25-30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to a rack to cool.