My Mom's Bread

My Mom's Bread Recipe

Ingredients

The Instructions

In a bowl, mix 1 cup warm (but not hot) water with sugar and sprinkle the yeast on the top. Let sit for about 5 or 10 minutes, until the yeast has risen and is bubbly. In a separate, good-sized, bowl that has been rubbed with shortening, mix 5 cups of flour, salt and shortening. Add in yeast mixture and remaining 2 cups of water. (Add in the extra water slowly, because 2 cups might be too much, or too little.) Knead really well, adding water and/or flour as needed. (I generally add roughly another cup of flour at this stage.) Kneading will take about 20-30 minutes. You will know when the dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your fingers or the bowl. Cover the dough (in a bowl) with wax paper that has been rubbed with shortening, and then put a dish towel over top of that. Put in warm oven to sit for about one hour. (Make sure the oven is not on or too hot. Heat to 150 and then turn off the oven before putting the bowl in the oven.) Remove dough from oven (it should have risen to about twice its previous size) and punch it down while heating oven again. Cover with wax paper and dish towel and put back in warm (but not on!) oven for at least 30 minutes. Dough should double in size. Remove from oven and put in pans. Let rise again in warmed oven for about 30 minutes. Remove pans from oven and preheat it to 375 degrees. Bake bread for approximately 35 minutes, or until dough has turned a nice light brown colour.