HALF LOAF BREAD PANS RECIPES

Steps:

• In the order listed, place all of the ingredients (except the cooking spray) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
• Using the lowest speed, stir until no more dry flour remains, about a minute. If needed, stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 to 4 minutes. This will not be a very sticky dough. Note: I usually never need to add more flour or water to this dough. After the 3 to 4 minutes of kneading, if the dough is too dry and is not coming together, add water, a tablespoon at a time. If it is too wet and loose, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.
• Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Shape the dough into a ball (just do this with your hands without any additional flour) and place it in the bowl. Spray the top lightly with cooking spray.
• Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1½ to 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your fingers, shape the dough into a rectangle about 9x11 inches in size. Be sure to press out any air bubbles that you see in the dough.
• Tightly roll up the dough longways, and then pinch the seam together.
• Fold the short sides in onto the seam; pinch all of the seams together.
• Place the dough seam side down on your floured surface and, using your hands, gently shape the loaf by patting in all of the sides until it is a uniform shape and will fit in the pan.
• Spray a bread pan lightly with cooking spray (use a standard loaf pan, 9x5 inches). Place the dough, seam side down, into the pan.
• Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap (you want the dough to be able to rise above the top of the pan), and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has risen to 1 inch (no more) above the top of the pan, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Carefully remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through. The loaf should have a hollow sound when you thump the bottom of it (be careful when doing this...that bread is hot!). If you'd rather check the internal temperature, it should be 190° to 210°F at the center of the loaf.
• Immediately remove the bread from the pan, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool completely.

Steps:

• 1. Place the water into the bread machine pan.
• 2. Add sugar and oil to water and stir to dissolve sugar. Add yeast to the water and stir to dissolve.
• 3. Allow the yeast to foam for 10 minutes.
• 4. Mix together flour and salt and add to bread machine pan.
• 5. Select the dough cycle and press start and allow to complete full cycle including first rise.
• 6. Always check your dough mid way through the kneading cycle and adjust with either water or flour for proper consistency. The dough will sometimes have to be adjusted due to humidity, temperature, and variations in flour.
• 7. Spray an 8 ½” x 4 ½” bread pan with cooking spray.
• When dough cycle is complete transfer dough to lightly floured surface and gently deflate.
• Knead 6 or 8 times, turning 90 degrees each time.
• Shape the dough into an 8" log.
• Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with parchment paper or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for 45 to 60 minutes or until ripe. Dough is ready to bake when your index finger pressed into the dough up to first joint leaves a mark that rebounds slowly. It will rise pretty high using a 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" pan. Towards the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Brush with half the melted butter. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's light golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with a digital thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf).
• Remove the bread from the oven. Brush with remaining melted butter. Remove from pan and cool it on a rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.