Friday, October 16, 2009

Grandma Katie's Famous Bread


This blog post is dedicated to Katy, the bread maker extraordinaire. I am sad that you passed before we really got a chance to know each other and bake together. I hope my bread from your recipe taste's half as good as yours did! Katie used a 10 lb bag of flour, I make half a recipe. I am related to her via my husband's family. I think after making it for years, I have mastered the recipe!

Tip: this makes ALOT of bread, and will take you all day to do, so start early! It freezes extremely well and tastes like nothing else you have ever eaten!

This is the Half Recipe Version

This half batch requires one 5-pound bag of pre-sifted flour, Gold Medal “Better for Bread” flour is recommended

¼ cup, plus ½ of a ¼ c or 1/8 cup Warm Water
1 & 1/2 tsp Sugar
1 packet RED STAR YEAST (not the quick rise kind)

**Make sure that you blend in a container which will hold at least 10 cups for expansion**

In a Separate Bowl

4 Eggs (Room temp should be fairly warm 75 to 80 degrees)
4 tsp Salt
(3) ¼ cups Sugar
½ of ¼ cup Sugar or 1/8 cup

Blend, in 3rd Bowl (Very Large)
4 cup Hot Water
1 cup Butter flavored Crisco (melt it in microwave)
1 12 oz can Evaporated Milk (add the whole can)
Mix Well

Mix all three bowls of ingredients together and slowly add ½ a bag of the flour. I use my Kitchenaide Mixer with the dough hook, then transfer to a board for the final kneading. Katie did it all by hand.

Knead the dough until it is no longer sticky, adding more flour if necessary

After kneading the dough, grease the rising pans or bowls with the butter flavored Crisco or pan spray. Place the dough in the pan and lightly grease the top of the dough, so it will not dry out during the rising process, then cover with a towel or wax paper. *I use 2 large bowls*

TIP: after making this a million times, I found that if you put the bread in the oven with light on, it generates enough heat to help your dough rise.

Let rise twice, beating down in-between each rising. For the final rise, shape into loaves or rolls, lightly grease the baking pans and let rise one last time until they have doubled in volume. *this takes every pan I own*

Original recipe says to bake in a 280 to 300 degree oven for 45 minutes for Loaves and 30 minutes for Buns. I found that a 325 oven for 30 minutes works just as well. Take out when golden brown and brush with melted butter if you wish.

p.s. thank you so much Pam at For The Love Of Cooking (and my next door neighbor), she actually took the last two and best photo's)

19 comments:

Debbie said...

Absolutely beautiful bread Cheryl....someday, someday I am going to make homemade bread. I know Coleen has been posting simple yeast recipes that I should probably try so I can get over my fear already. I just have to "prepare" myself to be patient and take my time so I get it right!!!!

Lyndas recipe box said...

Gorgeous bread, Cheryl! While I have made bread before, my recipes haven't been this huge..truely this is an all day event!I imagine that your kitchen smelled heavenly!
I need to dig out my bread reicpes.

Cheryl said...

I've been waiting for this recipe for years!! Some people just didn't want to share...lol. Love her bread.

Pam said...

This is the BEST bread I have EVER eaten. Especially, when it's delivered to my door fresh from the oven. I think the second photo looks AMAZING.

Denise said...

Cheryl, this bread is absolutely gorgeous. I would love some for the morning, nice and warm...yummy

teresa said...

i have just started to make homemade bread for my family, so i'm very excited to try this, it looks fantastic!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Oooo... family recipes are the BEST!

:)
ButterYum

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

wow... Love the bread, and really love the story. Keep those great family recipes going This post rocks

Unknown said...

What a wonderful tribute to
Katie as your bread looks fantastic, Cheryl :)! I'd be in a carb coma if I were surrounded by this deliciousness!

Foodiewife said...

How fun that Pam is your neighbor!
Evaporated milk really does the trick. that's what's in my whole wheat bread...love this recipe, too.
Gosh, how I want homebaked bread. Would you believe we've gone from a storm to 80+ degree weather? Weird.

Anonymous said...

Holy...CRUST Look at that golden exterior..HEAVEN! Your house must have been AROMA heaven!

Anonymous said...

It's totally beautiful!

Paula said...

Whoa ... you were a baking goddess! Look at all those pans! What a genius idea to bake some in the muffin pan. Geez, why can't I think of stuff like this. Wonderful tribute to Grandma Katie. I bet you and Pam have such fun as neighbors. And I do love those last two shots! Lovely! My favorite picture, though, is the second one showcasing all that bread! *sigh*

Imme said...

This bread looks simply beautiful and delicious! Love the tiny ones in the round pan.
Do you think this would work down here? We will certainly try!
We - my husband makes our bread, so this recipe shall be tested! :)

Bethie said...

How did I miss this post? This wonderful carb filled post. That makes me think of the bread my mother used to bake. Just gorgeous! Now mail me a loaf of bread, too.

Spryte said...

That looks AMAZING!!!!!

tamilyn said...

That's a lot of bread! Being the carb lover that I am, I'm looking for a day off when I can devote to this. It looks amazing!

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