The Baker Chick

Baking up a delicious life.

Basic White Bread

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Did you ever go to summer camp as a kid? I didn’t- but always dreamed of it. I always figured getting to spend all day with new friends doing fun activities would be the most fun ever. Well, last week I got to go to my adult version of “camp” which was really the Blog & Bake ® at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, VT. It was three days of all day baking glory- learning the ins and outs of their flour as well as how to make all sorts of wonderful recipes with it. I met some wonderful bloggers and learned so very much. Adult baking camp for the win!!

This basic white bread recipe is one of the first we made. It is so soft and is just to die for with a slab of creamy butter. (You should have seen the whole group demolish a loaf with some Vermont butter. Amazing.)

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I found it easy to recreate at home, even though they have those fancy “magic” ovens that seem to bake everything to perfection. I think the loaf pans we used in class were slightly different as well as my loaf came out shaped smaller and higher. Can I always bake in a state of the art kitchen with baking experts roaming around to ask if I need help? Oh and if all my dirty dishes can magically vanish as I’m done with them that would be amazing too. (They did there!!)

I made the most delicious french toast using this bread over the weekend, and I think it would be fabulous for grilled cheese too. Anything is better with homemade bread though- right?

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More to come on my Blog & Bake experience this week- but one important note: How do you measure your flour? Do you scoop and level (like I used to) or do you have another method? Until this week I didn’t know it mattered much- but obviously it really does. My scoop and level cup of flour weighs 5 oz, while a cup should weigh approximately 4-4.25 oz. Big difference huh? Either weigh your flour (like I’m going to,) or try a new method for measuring. 1- fluff the flour before measuring to get some air in there. 2- use a scoop or cup measurer to gently sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup- don’t shake it or try to settle it. 3- use the back of your scoop to quickly level the top and there you go. This will be my new method for flour measuring for all recipes on the blog!!

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Basic White Bread
Yield: 1 loaf
 
Recipe from: King Arthur Flour
Ingredients
  • 2½ to 3 cups (10-12 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoons milk powder*
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) warm water
Instructions
  1. Measure 1½ cups of the flour into a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) and add the milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and stir into the dry ingredients.
  2. Pour the warm water into the mixture and mix by hand to blend well.
  3. Stir in the remaining four gradually until the dough forms a shaggy mess
  4. Either turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, or engage the dough hook to knead it. To knead by hand; fold the far edge of the dough back over itself toward yu. Press into the ough with the heels of your hands and push away. After each push, rotate the dough 90?. Repat this process in a rocking motion for about 8-10 minutes. If the dough sticks- sprinkle a little bit of flour. The dough should become soft and elastic.
  5. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, (or in the mixer, remove the dough hook and shape dough into a ball.) Cover with plastic wrap and allow to proof at room temp for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  6. After the dough has risen, turn it onto a clean work surface and punch it down slightly. Form the loaf into the desired shape and transfer to loaf pan.
  7. Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and allow to rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
  8. Bake at 375? for 25- 40 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown an the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
Notes
*No milk powder? That's OK- just skip it and use warm milk instead of the warm water.

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Comments

  1. I’m so jealous you got to go to the King Arthur event! It looked like so much fun and I was invited but the timing wasn’t right. Hopefully next year! I love this kind of bread and you just know if KAF made the recipe it’s going to be perfect.

    Reply

  2. KAF has the best recipes, I’ve loved everything I tried from them. This white bread looks like a definite winner! The Blog & Bake event sounds like such a blast, I wish I’d been there with you too… But I’ll see you in Florida in just a few weeks :)

    Reply

  12. That event sounds like a total blast. It’s basically my dream to just bake all day, talk about baking, and then eat the stuff you bake.

    Also, I just started changing the way I measure flour too. It’s pretty crazy how different measurements can turn out so it’s totally worth the extra time.

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  14. looks AMAZING. I def want to try this. I think I need a tutorial on that measuring tip. Hmmm. I hate to buy yet another thing like a scale for this ever so tiny kitchen of mine!

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  15. I always weigh my flour! Makes for much more consistent results, and I dirty less dishes! This bread looks so good and fluffy. Homemade bread really does make everything better! Pinned :)

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  18. What a lovely loaf you have there! So happy your found it just as easy to recreate once you got home. I want to make this again but have yet to. I am drooling looking at this picture and remembering how delicious it was.

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  19. Ha ha, I TOTALLY remember demolishing that loaf of bread at King Arthur Flour. Though it’s simple, it’s up there as one of my favorite things I tasted in Vermont. There really is nothing like freshly baked bread, especially topped with some lovely Vermont butter. :)

    Reply

  20. I’ve always measured flour and everything else with the scoop and level method. That’s what Mom taught me.

    I have scale. I’m going to try the weighing method.

    Does a cup of whole wheat flour weigh the same as white?

    Reply

  24. This was a very timely post. We are looking to take a driving trip up to Vermont, from NVa, for our vacation this (late) summer/early fall. I didn’t realize that KAF was up there and that they had classes. Where would you recommend staying if we take a class? I know there are links on the site but I just wanted to know if traffic was a concern.

    ps To the people with gluten concerns, there are gluten free recipes on the KAF web site.

    Reply

  25. I got home and discovered that the batteries in my kitchen scale were dead….OH NO! Now that I finally understand why I have to weigh my flour, I can’t! Trip to drugstore for new batteries scheduled immediately.

    Reply

    • You know the same thing happened to me! My scale is dead and I desperately need to buy a new one as my measuring skills aren’t great :)

      Reply

  27. I can’t wait to try this recipe, I would love if this recipe had a picture for each step to help me out a little bit more! But I will try my best with the way it is. :)

    Reply

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