MASTER RECIPE FOR AMERICAN LOAF BREAD

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for work surface)
2 tsp salt
1 C warm milk (110 degrees F)
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp warm water(110 degrees F)
2 Tbsp butter, melted
3 Tbsp honey
1 pkg rapid-rise yeast.

Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 200 degrees F. Once oven temperature reaches 200 degrees F, maintain heat 10 minutes, then turn off oven heat.

Mix flour and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Add liquid ingredients; process until rough ball forms. Let dough rest 2 minutes. Process 35 seconds. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead by hand, adding a little more flour if needed, until dough is smooth and satiny, 4 to 5 minutes.

Place dough in very lightly oiled bowl, rubbing dough around bowl to lightly coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; place in the warm oven until dough doubles in size, 40 to 50 minutes.

Form dough into loaf, placing in greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

Cover with plastic wrap; set aside in warm spot until dough almost doubles in size, 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F, placing an empty loaf pan on bottom rack.

Bring 2 cups water to boil.

Remove plastic wrap from dough in loaf pan. Place pan in oven, immediately pouring boiling water in empty loaf pan; close oven door.

Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle from short end just above pan rim into center of loaf reaches 195 degrees F, about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove bread from pan, transfer to a wire rack, and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.

VARIATIONS:

WHOLE WHEAT:
Substitute 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour for 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour. Increase first to 50 to 60 minutes, and second rise to 40 minutes.

OATMEAL:
Bring 3/4 cup water to boil in small saucepan. Add 3/4 cup rolled oats; cook to soften slightly, about 90 seconds. Follow above recipe, decreasing flour from 3 1/2 cups to 2 3/4 cups, adding the cooked oatmeal to flour and omitting the warm water from the wet ingredients.

CORNMEAL:
Bring 1/2 cup water to boil in small saucepan. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup cornmeal. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 1 minutes. Follow above recipe, decreasing flour to 3 1//4 cups, decreasing milk to 3/4 cup, and adding cornmeal mixture to flour (before incorporating liquids).

ANADAMA:
Follow cornmeal loaf recipe, substituting molasses for honey.

Adapted from source: Cook's Illustrated magazine, June 1996