Grandma Eldrige's Homemade White Bread - NOT GLUTEN FREE

Grandma Eldrige, as she was fondly known, was a good friend of my grandmother.  This recipe of hers was handed down to me after a day of learning to make bread with my late mother.  It is one of my favorite recipes, delicious, financially economical, and packed with fond memories from my childhood.  

I watching my mom knead the dough, seeing our dining room table covered with a blanket, rippled by the bumps of bread tins rising beneath it.  In the morning the aroma of freshly baked bread would fill the house.  If I was fast enough to beat my sisters, I would get the crusty end piece, slathered with butter and mom's homemade strawberry jam.  The warm ends were the best part of a golden brown, freshly baked, loaf.  

Here is a link to the size of pan my mother used.  She would make 7 loaves of bread from this recipe.  I on the other hand, with my hodgepodge of different sized pans, and not leaving the bread overnight to rise, could only ever get 5, 6 on a good day.

Grandma Eldrige's Homemade White Bread

Makes 5, 6, or 7 loaves, depending on the size and quantity of your pans, and length of time rising. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. active dry yeast (1 Tbls. dry - do not use instant) dissolved in a 1/4 cup of warm water, not hot.
• 4 cups boiling water, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup shortening and 5 tsp. salt mixed in a large bowl and left to stand until luke warm.
• 12 to 13 cups of Robin Hood White All-Purpose flour (I usually use 11 cups and a bit.)

Instructions:

1. Add yeast mix and 9 cups of flour to the water mixture.  Mix by hand or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, until it forms a dough.  Add enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that is not sticky.  Knead for a further 10 to 15 minutes until silky smooth.  Place the kneaded dough in a large, lightly oiled, bowl (ceramic is best).  Turn the dough once to oil the surface of the dough, then cover the bowl with a clean towel and leave to rise until double in bulk.  This is the first rise and should take about two hours in a warm room.  (If the kitchen is too cool the dough may take longer, or not rise.  You can place a bowl of hot water on the bottom shelf of an oven and then place the covered dough above it on the top shelf.  Close the oven door, but do not turn the oven on.)
2. Second Rise: When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and knead again for 10 to 15 minutes.  Place the dough back in the bowl and cover it again with the towel.  Leave the dough to rise for a second time, until double in size again.  (About another 2 hours.)
3. Third Rise:  When double in size, punch the dough down again and knead for about 5 minutes.  Divide the dough into 5 or 6 equal portions - depending on the size and number of loaf pans - shape into ovals with fold on the bottom and put into greased loaf pans.  Cover the pans and leave to rise for several hours, or overnight, until double in size.  (At this point, the loaves can be wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a freezer bag, and frozen for up to 6 months.  They can also be further cut to make rolls, cloverleaf buns - by using a muffin tin, or even burger buns.  Just brush the tops with butter before baking.  Reduce the baking time for rolls and buns.)
4. Bake the bread in 400° oven for 40 minutes.  Cool completely on a rack covered by a towel for best slicing, or until slightly warm if you want to enjoy it fresh with butter.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below.

Enjoy!