Walter Sands' Basic White Bread

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/walter-sands-basic-white-bread-recipe

Walter Sands made this bread faithfully once a week for years. Walter was the father of Frank E. Sands, King Arthur Flour's current chairman of the board. Because of his arthritic hands, Walter used a bread bucket with a crank, which kneaded hundreds of loaves of this fragrant, soft sandwich bread with all its happy associations. The recipe makes two loaves, and we'll show you how to turn the second into a raisin-cinnamon swirl variation for an extra treat.

Recipe summary

 Hands-on time:

 

30 mins. to 40 mins.

 Baking time: 

35 mins. to 40 mins.

 Total time: 

3 hrs to 4 hrs 

 Yield: 

2 loaves, 32 slices

Dough

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
• 1 packet active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast or active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk
• 2 tablespoons soft butter, or vegetable oil
• 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons salt

Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. 1) Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl. Add and let dissolve the sugar or honey and then the yeast.
2. 2) When the yeast is bubbling, add the butter, 3 cups of flour, the dry milk, and salt. Mix together.
3. 3) Stir in another 2 1/2 cups of flour, keeping the last 1/2 cup in reserve. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to behave as if it belongs together. Cover and let the dough rest while you clean and grease the mixing bowl.
4. 4) Continue kneading for 3 or 4 more minutes, until the dough feels smooth and springy. Use up to 1/2 cup of the reserved flour, if necessary, to keep the dough from sticking to the kneading surface.
5. 5) Place the dough in the greased bowl, turn it over to coat both sides, and cover the bowl. Let it rise in a draft-free place until doubled, 1 to 2 hours. Deflate the dough, and divide it in half. Form into loaves (or make into cinnamon-raisin bread as described in tips, below), and place in greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until the dough domes an inch above the rim of the pans.
6. After the dough has been rising for 20 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F. When the loaves are sufficiently risen, bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned and the center of the loaves reads 190°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and tip the breads out of their pans. Place on a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Tips from our bakers

• You can make this bread with milk instead of water; just bring 2 cups of milk to a simmer, then cool to lukewarm before using.
• For cinnamon-swirl bread, roll each piece of dough into a rough 9" x 15" rectangle. Spread each piece with half the melted butter, then sprinkle with half the raisins, sugar, and cinnamon. Starting with a short edge, roll into a cylinder. Place the loaves in the pans, seam-side down, and let rise and bake as directed at right.
• Want to make this bread using a mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle? Combine all of the ingredients except 1/2 cup of the flour. Mix and knead, using your machine of choice, and adding just enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour (if necessary) to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Continue at step 5, letting the dough rise in a bowl, then finishing the bread as directed.