Bread Dough
Submitted by StefyJo
Basic enriched bread dough with scalded milk, egg, and yeast, perfect for rolls, loaves, or sweet breads. Old-fashioned all-purpose dough that rises on the counter or rests overnight in the fridge.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
20 minCOOK
0 minREADY
1 hrsThis is the workhorse bread dough, the kind your grandmother kept in a bowl on the back of the stove for whatever she needed: dinner rolls, cinnamon buns, a loaf of sandwich bread, or Christmas stollen. Milk, egg, sugar, and shortening turn it into what bakers call an enriched dough, which stays softer and keeps better than lean doughs made from just flour and water.
Scalding the milk is the old-school step people skip and shouldn’t. Heating milk to just below a boil deactivates enzymes that can weaken gluten, and the result is a higher rise and better crumb.
Soften the yeast in warm (not hot) water first. Warm water around 105°F (40°C) wakes the yeast; hotter water kills it.
Mix to a firm but not stiff dough. You want enough flour that it pulls cleanly from the bowl but remains pliable under a wooden spoon.
The refrigerator trick is a game-saver. A cold overnight rise develops more flavor, and the chilled dough is infinitely easier to roll and shape the next morning.
Kitchen Tips
- Convert compressed yeast (1 package ≈ 0.6 oz) to active dry by halving the weight (about 2¼ teaspoons).
- Cover the rising bowl with plastic wrap, not a towel, to keep the top from crusting over.
- Punch down once during a long fridge rest if the dough threatens to overflow the bowl.
- Let refrigerated dough come back to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping so it relaxes enough to work with.
Variations
- Knead in ½ cup raisins and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for a sweet breakfast loaf.
- Swap 1 cup all-purpose for whole wheat for a heartier texture.
- Brush the shaped loaves with melted butter before baking for a softer, richer crust.
Ingredients
Directions
Scald milk and pour over sugar, shortening, and salt.
Let it cool to lukewarm while softening yeast in a small bowl with the warm water.
When soft, add the egg and beat together slightly.
Pour the yeast/egg mixture into the milk mixture and stir them together.
The flour may be sifted or poured into the liquid.
With a large spoon, stir until flour/milk is well mixed.
You should have a firm, but not stiff dough.
Without removing it from the bowl, cover the dough with a plate or towel and set aside to rise until double in bulk (about 2 hrs depending on the temperature in the kitchen).
Instead of letting the dough rise at this point you may put it in the refrigerator and use it later, or the next day.
Watch to make sure it doesn’t spill out of the bowl. If it starts to spill before you’re ready to use it, punch it back down.
Refrigerated dough is easier to handle but takes longer to rise.
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