Bethie's Kitchen: Homemade Bread and Butter

Nothing makes a house smell better than something baking in the oven! Today, we made 3 loaves of homemade bread and decided to accompany with homemade butter that I had seen on TV the other day. Who knew making butter could be so easy?!
Below are the recipes. Enjoy! It's yummy!

BASIC WHITE BREAD

Ingredients:
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) dry active yeast
1 cup milk*
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
5 1/2 cups flour *

*I usually use whole milk but Walmart was sold out. We used 5% cream instead but ended up with a dense bread. I recommend using milk instead.
*I use the Robin Hood Homestyle Bread White Flour

Instructions:
1. DISSOLVE 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. (I use the bowl for my stand mixer). Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well. 
2. Meanwhile, HEAT milk to lukewarm. Stir in butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 1/2 cup warm water. 
3. Add milk mixture and 2 cups of flour to dissolved yeast mixture. Beat with wooden spoon or electric mixer until smooth and elastic. (I use a stand mixer on a lower speed).
4. STIR in 2 1/2 cups of remaining flour gradually. (I use the stir function on my stand mixer). If necessary, add more flour so that the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and forms a ball on the dough hook.
5. Turn onto a floured board.
6. KNEAD dough, adding flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky. This may take up to 10 minutes.
7. PLACE in a lightly greased bowl. Turn the greased side to the stop. Cover with greased waxed paper and a tea towel.
8. LET RISE in a warm place until the dough ball as doubled in size. This will require a rather large bowl. This will take 45-60 minutes.
9. PUNCH DOWN. Turn onto floured board and divide into 2 equal portions. Let stand for 10 minutes.
10. SHAPE into two loaves. Place seam side down in two greased loaf pans.
11. LET RISE until the down has raised slightly above the pan and the corners are filled. 45-60 minutes.
12. BAKE at 400 F on lower rack for 25-30 minutes. Remove from racks immediately and let cool on a wire rack. If you want a soft crust, brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter.

*This makes 2 loaves of bread.

BUTTER


Ingredients:
Heavy Cream
Salt (optional)
Cheese Cloth

Instructions:
1. Empty cream into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. I used 1L of cream in the bowl of my stand mixer. I beat with the whisk attachment until the cream had thickened. This will look almost like cottage cheese. The curd will have separate from the liquid. f
2. Strain mixture through cheese cloth. The solid left behind is your butter! (Yes, it's that easy)
3. Put the butter into waxed paper. If you want salted butter, salt and then use the waxed paper to fold it in. *Do not touch the butter with your hands, it will melt.
4. Store salted butter in a closed container or unsalted butter in the fridge. This will last for 2-3 weeks.


Enjoy!
~Bethie