Serves: 5

STEP 1. Put the yeast, milk powder, sugar, and warm water into a dishpan or large bowl. (For the sake of brevity and convenience, I’ll simply say “bowl,” but you’ll know it’s a dishpan, won’t you?)

STEP 2. Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon, then add the salt, oil, and 3 cups of flour. Beat well with the spoon for about 2 minutes. Add 2 more cups of flour, then measure 1 more cup and set it aside so that you can add more flour later if necessary without making too much of a mess with your doughy hands. Speaking of doughy hands, this is a good time to put a plastic bag within easy reach so that you can slip your hand into it in case the phone rings. (It almost always does.)

STEP 3. Plunge your hand into the bowl and mix and squeeze until all the flour disappears. If the dough is so wet that you can’t pick up any part of it, add a little more flour. Dough is “ready to handle” when you can pick it up. At first, it should be like soft clay—very sticky, but not so wet that it sags through your fingers when you hold a handful. As soon as the dough is ready, stop adding flour. It’s time to knead.

More Recipes from the Great Natural Breads Made Easy Cookbook:
Ingredients
Yeast
Flour
Fat
Sweeteners
Milk
Eggs
Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Salt and Other Flavor Enhancers
Water
Equipment
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Bread Pans and Baking Sheets
The Artisan Baker
Bowls
Additional Items
Basic Bread-Making Method
Basic White Bread Ingredients
Preparing the Dough
Kneading the Dough
Letting the Dough Rise
Punching Down the Dough
Shaping the Loaves
Letting the Dough Rise Again
Baking the Loaves
Emergency Procedues and Diagnoses
Storing Bread
High Altitude Baking
Helpful Tips Before You Begin
Time To Begin