2 c. milk
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
6 1/2 to 7 c. sifted all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. melted butter

In small saucepan, heat milk just until bubbles form around edge of pan. Remove from heat. Add sugar, salt and 1/4 cup butter, stirring until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm (a drop sprinkled on wrist will not feel warm.)

If possible, check temperature of warm water with thermometer. Sprinkle yeast over water in large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Stir in milk mixture.

Add half the flour; beat with wooden spoon, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining flour, mixing it in with hand until dough is stiff enough to leave side of bowl.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured board. Cover with the bowl, let rest 10 minutes. Knead by folding toward you, then pushing down and away from you, with heel of hand. Give dough a quarter turn, repeat kneading, developing a rocking motion. Continue kneading and turning 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic and blisters appear on surface.

Place on lightly greased large bowl, turn dough to bring up greased side. Cover with towel. Let rise in warm place (85 degrees). From from drafts, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk, when two fingers poked into dough leave indentations, rising is sufficient. Punch down dough with fist, turn out onto lightly floured pastry cloth. Divide in half. Shape each half into smooth ball. cover with towel, let rest 10 minutes. Shape each portion into loaf, and place in pan, according to the shaping directions.

Brush top of each loaf with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cover with towel. let rise in warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, until double in bulk, or until sides of dough reach tops of pans (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake loaves 40 to 50 minutes; tops should be well browned and sound hollow when rapped with knuckle. Remove from pans immediately, cool well on wire rack, away from drafts.

If lighter crust is desired, cover top of loaves with brown paper or aluminum after 25 minutes in oven.

WHITE BREAD SHAPING DIRECTIONS:

On lightly floured pastry cloth, stretch or roll dough until it is about 27 inches long (3 times as long as pan).

Fold dough into thirds, pressing or roll, to break any air pockets, until dough is a 7 inch square.

Fold into thirds, from opposite directions, pressing with fingers to break any air pockets.

Seal edge and ends of loaf by pinching together. Roll under palm of hand to smooth shape of loaf.

Brush top of shaped loaf with melted butter. Cover with towel, let rise in warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, until double in bulk about 1 hour.