Classic White Bread

I have been making bread at home for about 9 months now. They all didn't look so good or even tasted as good as the Kalamata Olive bread I made this week. In the beginning they didn't even taste like bread. But my pledge in Feb'09 to never again buy a loaf of artisan bread from the fancy bakery, kept me going. Without bread thinking of what to make for breakfast and those simple weekend brunches would have been a nightmare.
So I have been trying alot of different recipes for that simple loaf of bread, some work some don't. Some just have too many ingredients for an everyday loaf. I like the recipe below because it is simple, few ingredients, and it tastes pretty damn good. Although the recipe calls for All-Purpose flour, if I have unbleached white bread flour on hand I like to use it. It gives a much better texture to the bread that you just don't get with all-purpose. I usually like to make half the recipe just for one loaf which is enough for my little family of 2. Oh and I failed to mention this is a Julia Child recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water (105-115 F)
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 7 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• Optional Kalamata olives, pitted, 2 handfuls
  

Directions

1. Pour 1/2 cup of the water into a bowl and mix with yeast and sugar til foamy.

2. Let sit for 5 minutes until creamy.

3. Put the yeast mixture, rest of the water and 3 1/2 cups of the flour into the mixer with the dough hook.

4. Mix slowly until blended then add the rest of the flour.

5. Increase speed and scrape down the sides til the dough comes together.

6. (If it doesn't add a tbsp of flour at a time til it does.) Add salt and mix at medium speed for 10 minutes (or do half in mixer and half kneading) til dough is smooth and elastic.

7. Back in mixer add butter 1 tbsp at a time (dough may come apart, but mixing will pull it back together). You can now add the olives.
   

8. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball then place in a large buttered or oiled bowl.

9. Turn dough so it is completely coated in the fat, then cover in plastic for 45 minutes to an hour, til it has doubled in size at room temperature.

10. Butter 2 loaf pans.

11. Deflate the dough, cut in half and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

12. Roll out into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle.

13. With the short end facing you, fold the dough into thirds like a sheet of paper to go into an envelope, creating a roll.

14. Pinch the seam closed, and pinch the ends enough so it will fit in the loaf pan.

15. Drop in the loaf pan seem side down, and repeat.

16. Cover the loaves with buttered plastic wrap and allow to rise again in a warm place (80°F) for 45 minutes, until they double in size.

17. Preheat the oven to 375°F and put the rack in the center of the oven.

18. Bake for 35-45 minutes til they are honey brown.

19. Immediately turn out of pans onto a rack to cool.

20. Once almost completely cool, they can be cut.

21. Store in a brown paper bag for a day or two.

22. Once cut, turn cut side down onto a cutting board and cover with a kitchen towel.

One of the first things I did after the loaf cooled down is make a Cheese sandwich. Yummy with cheddar and fresh basil.