Country Crust Bread

My favorite simple yeast bread, with a rich brown crust. Add extracts or fresh herbs to the recipe to make it your own. The kneading is done by a stand mixer, which saves you from having to knead by hand for several minutes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Yield: 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages instant yeast

2 cups warm milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

6 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Oven temperature: 375 degrees

In stand mixer bowl, add warm milk and yeast. Use hand whisk to briefly mix yeast into warm milk, then let bloom in mixing bowl for a few minutes. Place on mixer stand with paddle attachment. On medium low speed, add sugar, eggs, oil, salt until blended. Carefully add flour, in small batches, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, punch down, then place in greased bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel, allowing to rise until double (approximately one hour). Place dough back out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out with rolling pin. Divide into two equal sections, folding over placing into 2 loaf pans. Let rise until double. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once dough in pan has risen, brush with melted butter. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until bread top sounds hollow when tapped in center. Brush with additional butter and cool on wire rack.