Dish Bread

Cookbook Category: Breads

This is the easiest yeast bread you will ever make. Its texture is a bit more coarse than many yeast breads, but it is wonderfully moist, perfumes your whole house while baking, and is irresistible when warm from the oven. Also, it makes excellent toast.

1 cup warm milk (110°F)
1/4 cup honey
2 packages of yeast (4 teaspoons)
1 egg (at room temperature), lightly beaten
1-1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup very warm water
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast and honey. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes.

Mix the egg, butter, salt and water into the milk mixture. Gradually add the flour, stirring until well blended.

Cover the bowl and allow dough to rise in a warm place until more than doubled in bulk (about 40 minutes). Stir the dough down and beat for 30 seconds.

Pile the dough into a greased bowl (a 1-1/2 quart Pyrex casserole dish will give you a nice, round loaf). Bake for about 50 minutes. Brush melted butter on the top of the loaf when it's just out of the oven.