Homemade Refrigerator Bread

Recipe by Deacon Tom Fox

Deacon Tom sez: From a Sunset Magazine recipe in 1976 (I was just an infant then… but it was passed down to me… and what time are Confessions held?)

Super Simple (Refrigerator) Bread

• 1/3 cup each sugar and shortening
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 7.5 to 8 cups all purpose flour, unsifted

In large bowl, combine the 1/3 cup sugar, shortening, salt and boiling water; cool to lukewarm. Dissolve yeast and the 1 tsp. sugar in the 1/4 cup water; cover and set in a warm place until bubbly.

Combine yeast mixture with lukewarm mixture; stir in 2 eggs. Add 4 cups of flour, beating well with spoon. then gradually stir in as much of the remaining flour as the dough will absorb, mixing well. Place in a greased bowl. Cover; chill at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

To bake, divide dough in half and with greased hands, shape each into a smooth loaf. Place in greased 5 X 9 inch loaf pans; cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double, about 2 hours.

Bake in 350 degree oven 30 to 35 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out on racks.

Experience notes from Tom:

Recipe didn’t say it — I found the bread actually rises if you leave it covered (tea towel or some such) in the refrigerator overnight. So the rising that happens in the second stage in the 5X9 pans wasn’t as much as in the refrigerator. Also, I’ve never been able to get all 7.5 to 8 cups of flour absorbed into the dough…. usually about 6.5 or so cups for me… it still seems to work. I don’t have a fancy mixer with heavy duty dough beaters….

Enjoy. It’s easy… smells good and tastes great for easy homemade bread!

Image courtesy of Dennis Wilkinson on Flickr.com.