Basic Bread And Rolls Recipe

Directions

1. 1
   Scald lowfat milk and pour over sugar, shortening, & salt.
2. 2
   Let it cold to lukewarm while softening yeast in a small bowl with the hot water.
3. 3
   When soft, add in the egg and beat together slightly.
4. 4
   Pour the yeast/egg mix into the lowfat milk mix and stir them together.
5. 5
   The flour may be sifted or possibly poured into the liquid.
6. 6
   With a large spoon, stir till flour/lowfat milk is well mixed.
7. 7
   You should have a hard, but not stiff dough.
8. 8
   Without removing it from the bowl, cover the dough with a plate or possibly towel and set aside to rise till double in bulk (about 2 hours depending on the temperature in the kitchen).
9. 9
   Instead of letting the dough rise at this point you may put it in the refrigerator and use it later, or possibly the next day.
10. 10
    Watch to make sure it doesn't spill out of the bowl.
11. 11
    If it starts to spill before you're ready to use it, punch it back down.
12. 12
    Refrigerated dough is easier to handle but takes longer to rise.
13. 13
    BREAD: If you want to make bread, dump the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and with more flour as needed to keep it from sticking, knead it till springy and easy to handle.
14. 14
    This dough does not require a lot of kneading; only sufficient to make it easy to handle.
15. 15
    For 2 medium size loaves cut the dough in half and knead/shape each into loaves and put into greased baking pans.
16. 16
    Allow about 2 hrs for the dough to double again.
17. 17
    Bake in a 375 degree oven till lightly browned on top (if uncertain whether or possibly not bread is done, tip out of pan and see if bottom is browned too).
18. 18
    ROLLS: To make rolls, work and knead dough till springy and easily handled.
19. 19
    Roll out with a rolling pin and cut with a biscuit cutter and fold over and place on a greased cookie sheet (Parkerhouse rolls), or possibly break dough into small pcs, make into little balls and place 3 in each section of a greased muffin pan (Cloverleaf rolls).
20. 20
    SWEET ROLLS: For Christmas bread or possibly sweet rolls, roll out dough as for Parkerhouse rolls, except trying to make an oblong instead of a round.
21. 21
    Spread it with raisins and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
22. 22
    Dot with butter and roll as for a jelly roll.
23. 23
    Slice and place on a greased pan or possibly make into a circle and make slashes through the dough at intervals.
24. 24
    Let rise and bake as for loaves.
25. 25
    Top with an icing made of confectioners' sugar, melted butter, lowfat milk, and vanilla or possibly rum flavoring and drizzle over the bread or possibly rolls while warm.
26. 26
    Decorate with nuts or possibly fruits.
27. 27
    If you want to make a whole wheat bread, use half white and half whole wheat flour, and use brown sugar instead of white.
28. 28
    The amounts above will yield 1 large or possibly 2 medium loaves of bread, or possibly 2 dozen large rolls.