Grandma Corry's White Bread

I learned this recipe from my Aunt Judy, who learned it from her mother, Florence Corry, shortly before Florence died. The recipe apparently originated with Florence’s mother or even earlier. In any event, it’s wonderful. Judy has updated a couple of the ingredients, and she also adds 1/3 cup of wheat gluten to the flour with the yeast, powdered milk, and dough enhancer. The recipe makes 3 regular size loaves.

1 quart water

4 tablespoon shortening

5 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon yeast

1/2 cup (rounded) powdered milk

1 teaspoon ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

About 10 to 12 cups white flour

2 tablespoon dough enhancer (I use instant mashed potato flakes)

Heat water about 5 minutes in the microwave. Add sugar, salt, ginger and shortening to water and cool.

Mix six cups of flour, the yeast, powdered milk, and dough enhancer in mixer (or with a wooden spoon, by hand). Add water mixture to the flour. Continue adding flour until dough pulls away clean from the sides of the bowl.

(Aunt Judy doesn’t knead her bread or leave give it a first rising. I knead for 5 to 8 minutes, and sometimes I let it rise in the bowl before shaping into loaves.)

Form the dough into loaves according to the size of the pan. Place the dough into greased loaf pans and let rise until the dough is an inch or so above the edge of the pan.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and butter the tops of the bread (if desired). Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.