Victorian Milk Bread

This is a good basic white bread, nothing spectacular. Of course, it still tastes better than processed white bread!

Victorian Milk Bread
2 tsp. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Sprinkle yeast into water in a bowl. Let set 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve. Meanwhile, mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, and add the egg and yeast water. Either use electric mixer or wooden spoon until stiff dough forms. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover dough, and let rise 45 minutes. Punch down the dough, and then cover and let rest until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan with butter or butter spray. Shape the loaf into an "S" shape by shaping dough into a log and placing into pan, curling the ends to resemble an "S."

Cover with a dish towel, and let rise until it is about 1 inch above the pan, approximately 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake bread 45 minutes until golden and hollow sounding when tapped underneath. Brush loaf with butter immediately upon removing from oven. Turn onto wire rack to cool.