Originally Bannock Dutch Oven Sweet Bread

Sweet Bread

Combine in a two-cup measuring glass then set aside:
• 2 packages dry active yeast
• 1 c 105 degree water
• 1t sugar

Mix in the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl:
• 2/3c melted butter
• 2c lukewarm milk
• 3/4c sugar
• 4t salt

Add yeast mixture and blend in:
• 2 eggs

Mix in and beat in Kitchen Aid on med-high for 5-10 minutes. Dough should be thready and shiny:
• 4-5c flour

Keep adding flour one cup at a time. Once mixer has a hard time mixing the dough, put dough in a greased big bowl (big stainless steel bowl). Stir in as much flour as you can with a spatula. Then knead in the rest of flour. I normally don't keep track of how much flour I put in (somewhere around 5 more cups). I just make sure that the dough does not stick to my fingers or the bowl, and you can form a nice smooth ball that feels like a baby's butt (according to Grama Gabelein).

With dough still in bowl, spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with a CLEAN kitchen towel and let rise till double. Ideal rising temperature is 75 degrees. You can heat the oven a bit and then let the dough rise in the oven with just the light on for warmth. Or stick in the car on a sunny winter day. Allow about 90 minutes. Poke the dough with your finger. If the hole immediately fills in, let it rise longer. After the dough doubles its size, punch down. Now is the time to choose if you want to make loaves of bread or rolls.

BREAD
Knead the dough and spray the bread pan with cooking spray. Shape the dough into loafs. It is best to have the dough reach the length of the pan but about half full height wise to allow room to rise.

After you have put the dough in the pan, let rise again until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Make sure the bread is done by knocking on the top to make sure it sounds hollow. Also it should be dark, dark brown (almost chocolaty according to GG). If you aren't sure, cut the loaf in half with a serrated knife and make sure it is not doughy.

ROLLS
Pinch some dough from the batch and then shape into a ball by grabbing the corners and putting them on the bottom until you have a nice circle shape of dough. A racquet ball sized piece of dough is perfect, make the ball about half of the size of the roll you want to end up with. Place in a greased 9x13 pan (either canola oil or Pam); leave space between the rolls to allow them to rise.

Brush the top of the rolls with some butter or cooking spray. This will make the rolls a nice brown color. Let them rise until double. Then bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Check the rolls; they should be brown. If they are still pale, bake them for a few more minutes.

ENJOY the yumminess of the bread! Thanks to Racheal, our family bread maker, for the detailed recipe.