Easy English Muffin Bread

Easy English Muffin Bread puts warm water, instant or active dry yeast and granulated sugar at the center of a yeast-bread recipe and finishes in about 193 minutes, enough for 20 to 24 slices (2 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-Inch loaves).

• Yield 20 to 24 slices (2 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-Inch loaves)
• Ready in 193 minutes
• Prep 15 minutes
• Cook 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups warm water, about 100-110 degrees F
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, add the water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit until the yeast is bubbly and foamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the salt and two cups of the flour. Mix with a dough hook, spoon, or spatula until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until the dough comes together in a shaggy ball and no dry streaks remain. You may want to ditch the stirring utensil, grease or lightly flour your hands, and mix by hand until it comes together. The dough will be quite sticky; that is normal.
3. Cover the bowl and let rise until the dough has doubled (it will be very puffy).
4. Lightly grease two 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-Inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Using greased hands, lightly punch down the dough and divide into two equal pieces.
5. Gather up one portion of dough in greased hands and quickly and lightly shape into a rough semblance of a loaf shape. Dump into one of the prepared pans. Repeat with the other half of dough. The loaves are meant to look a bit rough and rustic.
6. Cover the bread pans and let the loaves rise until the bread is 1/2 to 1-inch above the edge of the pan. Toward the end of rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes until golden on top and baked through. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. The bread is delicious toasted (or untoasted!) with butter and jam.

Cool the bake on a rack until the crumb sets, then slice.