SUGGESTED BOOKS:

Bread Is For Eating
David Gershator (Ages 4-8)

The Little Red Hen
Lucinda McQueen (Ages 4-8)

Bread and Jam For Frances
Russel Hoban (Ages 4-8)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis (Ages 9-12)

Harris and Me
Gary Paulsen (9-12)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water, which should feel pleasantly warm when dropped on the wrist.  Whisk in the sugar.  Add 2 cups of the flour into the bowl.  Whisk the mixture well, then let it “proof,” or sit for 10 minutes.  If tiny bubbles appear and the batter looks slightly expanded, you’re on the right track.
2. Stir in the salt, and then add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop.  Knead for 10 minutes.  (To knead, fold the dough in half and push it down and away with the heel of your hand, rotate the dough, and repeat until it is smooth and elastic.)
3. Place the ball of dough in a bowl rubbed with vegetable oil and turn to coat.  Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free area for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.  Punch the dough down.  Knead it again to remove air bubbles. 
4. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle.  Fold it into thirds as you would fold a letter to put it into an envelope.  Turn the ends under and place the dough, seam-sides down, in greased loaf pans.  Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a draft-free area for about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake the bread for 30 minutes.  Remove the pans from the oven; if the bottoms of the loaves sound hollow when tapped, the bread is done.   Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack.  Rub with butter or margarine for a shiny finish, if you want.  Cool the loaves and wrap tightly in plastic until ready to eat.  Wrapped loaves can by frozen.

 

Makes 2 loaves