On our dairy farm, we drink raw milk.  It is delicious!  When the milk comes in, the cream rises to the top of the pitcher.  We skim off the cream.  This happens regularly.  Sometimes the cream sours in the refrigerator.  So, I make bread often just to use up the sour cream.

I have come up with a recipe.  I alter it according to my whims and to the contents of my cupboard.  Salt and sugar amounts may be altered.  You can try adding a favorite spice.  Spiced bread can be shaped into buns.  (I like cardamom.)  Buns can be frosted.  Mmmmm.

Home-made Bread

1 tablespoon yeast, scant
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups sour cream or water
1 tablespoon salt
5-6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons shortening (or 1 T. lard)
1 egg, beaten (opt.)
5-6 cups flour

Combine yeast to 1/2 cup warm water. Let the yeast soften.

Meanwhile, scald sour cream (milk, water or potato water).  When scalded, add salt and sugar.  (You may substitute some of the sugar with an equal amount of molasses, if you like.)  Add shortening or vegetable oil.

Let the water mixture cool enough so that you can hold your finger in the liquid comfortably.  (If it is too hot for comfort, that is your clue that it will kill the yeast, so wait till it is cooler.)  Add cooled, yet still warm liquid to the yeast mixture.

Here you can opt to add a beaten egg to the liquid.  Mix well.

Add 5-6 cups of white flour.  (I use a wooden spoon for stirring while I add the first 4 cups.  Then when the stirring gets tough, I take off my wedding ring.  It is time to knead the dough.)  Knead dough till it feels elastic.  With experience you will learn the right texture for making a soft, high-rising loaf of bread.  (You don’t want it to be too dry because the loaf will be hard-to-rise and, therefore, short and hard after it is baked.  Nor do you also don’t want it to be sticky.  Add enough flour till the dough easy to shape into a large ball.)

Place the ball of dough into a large greased bowl.  Grease top side of dough.  Let rise till double in bulk.  When risen, punch dough down . Shape dough into 2 loaves and place in greased loaf pans.  Let dough rise again.  Bake at 350° F. for 25-30 min. (or till when tapped with a fingertip it sounds hollow.)

When hot from the oven, I brush the crust with butter which makes a soft crust after cooling.

photo credit: Wenda Grabau
photo credit: Wenda Grabau
photo credit: Wenda Grabau