Baking Great Bread at Home

In a small bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and non-fat dry milk powder.

In a separate microwave-safe bowl, warm the milk to 110°F (43°C). Add the softened butter to the warm milk and stir until melted. Mix in the honey.

Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and add the milk-butter-honey mixture.

Mix all the ingredients together to form a dough.

Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed to prevent sticking.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Punch down the risen dough and divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a loaf and place them in greased loaf pans.

Cover the pans with a towel and let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Remove from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes in the pans, then transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.