A delightful homemade bread recipe that is simple to make and yields a soft, fluffy loaf.
Heat the milk with sugar and salt until warm and dissolved, then cool.
Cooling the milk mixture ensures it doesn't kill the yeast.
Combine flour and shortening in a bowl, then add the cooled milk mixture.
Mixing the shortening with the flour helps distribute it evenly.
Dissolve sugar in warm water, add yeast, and let it foam.
Foaming indicates the yeast is active and ready to use.
Combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture and knead into a smooth dough.
Knead until the dough is elastic and smooth for the best texture.
Let the dough rest and rise until doubled in size.
Covering the dough prevents it from drying out during rising.
Shape the dough into a loaf and place it in a greased bread pan.
Shaping the dough tightly ensures a uniform loaf.
Allow the dough to rise again until it fills the pan.
The second rise gives the bread its final volume and texture.
Bake the loaf in a preheated oven at 375°F until golden brown.
A golden crust indicates the bread is perfectly baked.
Cool the bread on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Cooling prevents the bread from becoming gummy when sliced.
