Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 9 oz warm milk (plus extra if a chewier texture is desired)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1–1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups flour
- 1/8 cup sugar (plus a little more if preferred)
- 2 tsp yeast
Instructions
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Kneading the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yeast. Stir these dry ingredients with your fingers before adding salt.
- Add the butter, eggs, and part of the warm milk to the bowl. Begin mixing on low speed with bread beaters.
- Gradually incorporate the rest of the milk, adjusting the amount if you desire a very chewy texture. The dough should be quite wet, slimy, and sticky.
- Continue to knead the dough for about 5 more minutes after all ingredients have been added.
- Transfer the dough into a greased bowl (using shortening or olive oil to prevent sticking). Cover with a damp tea towel and let it rise until doubled in size, which can be done over a few hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Shaping the Dough:
- If the dough was refrigerated, let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature; if it was left on the counter, you can work on it immediately.
- Prepare your baking containers by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray (like PAM).
- Punch down the risen dough and knead it briefly. At this point, poke holes in the top of the dough with your fingers if desired.
- Shape the dough as needed, placing it seam-side down in the prepared baking containers. If you wish to braid the dough, now is the time to do so.
- Allow the dough to rise for another hour or so until it has nearly doubled in size again, depending on the temperature of your home.
Baking the Bread:
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Before baking, gently dimple the surface of the dough with your fingertips.
- Bake the loaves for 30 minutes and rolls for approximately 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.
- Once baked, remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Remove the bread from the pans after a few minutes to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.