GRANDMA’S CLASSIC COUNTRY WHITE BREAD

🛠 METHODS & INSTRUCTIONS

1. Activate the Yeast

In a large bowl, combine:

• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup of the warm water

Let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be expired—try again with fresh yeast.

2. Form the Dough

To the yeast mixture, add:

• Remaining warm water (2 cups)
• 3 cups flour
• Salt

Stir until combined. Gradually add remaining flour (3–4 cups), one cup at a time, until a rough dough forms.

3. Kneading

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead for 8–10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as needed, until dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky—but not sticky.

💡 Love Method #1: Kneading is a meditation. Pour your care into it. Talk to the dough. Tell it you love it. It helps, really.

4. First Rise

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.

💡 Love Method #2: Let the dough rest while you write a letter to someone you care about. Bread rises best in the presence of good vibes.

5. Shaping

Punch down the dough (gently!). Divide in half. Shape into loaves and place into two greased 9″x5″ loaf pans.

6. Second Rise

Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes, until dough has risen just above the edge of the pans.

7. Baking

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom.

Optional: brush with melted butter after baking for a softer crust and heavenly aroma.

💌 FORMATION & FEELINGS

This bread forms from simple elements—flour, water, yeast—but its texture, rise, and flavor are shaped by your hands, your warmth, your home. That’s why every loaf tastes a little different. It’s alive. It’s you, in bread form.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 LOVED BY MANY

• The Neighbors: “She brought one loaf. I begged her for the recipe after the first bite.”
• The Kids: “Mom, this tastes better than store bread! Can I have another slice?”
• The Grandparents: “Tastes just like what we had growing up.”
• The Bread-Lovers Anonymous Group: “Hi, I’m Jim, and I eat half a loaf before it even cools. And I’m not sorry.”

🧠 PRO TIPS

• Want more flavor? Ferment your dough overnight in the fridge after the first rise.
• Want a chewier crust? Bake on a stone and add steam to your oven.
• Want to make it unforgettable? Add rosemary, roasted garlic, or a swirl of cinnamon-sugar.

🏁 CONCLUSION

This bread isn’t just baked—it’s shared. It’s a love letter in loaf form, warm from the oven and meant to be torn by hand and passed around. If you bring it to a neighbor, expect them to call back asking for the recipe. If you serve it at dinner, expect silence—because their mouths will be full.

Bake it once. You’ll bake it forever.