“This is perhaps the most prolific of the recipes I got during my ‘Culinary Delights’ class in the 8th grade. We used it to make the Cinnamon Rolls. From there I took the basic recipe and made breads, rolls and coffee cakes to suit many of the classes in the Santa Cruz County Fair Home Arts “Yeast Breads” division. It was perfect, because one recipe makes so much dough. The Fancy Apple-Hazelnut Rolls came about with left over ingredients during one fairtime cooking spree, and became my favorite.” – April Ferre

Print Recipe

Aprils Basic Bread Recipe with Variations

Course: Rolls, Yeast Breads

Ingredients

4 Cups Warm Water
1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Yeast
11 to 13 Cups All-Purpose & Bread Flour

Instructions

Basic Bread Preparation

Combine water (105 to 115 degrees), oil, sugar and salt. Soften yeast. Mix well. **Note: the water temperature is extremely important to the success of this bread.**
Start adding flour, 1 cup at a time and alternating between all-purpose and bread flour until easy enough to handle. Knead dough, adding more flour if necessary. Grease large bowl. Place dough in center, then flip over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled. Can be placed in refrigerator overnight. Shape for desired purpose:

VARIATIONS:

White Bread

Shape into loaf, place in loaf pan and let rise until double in bulk.

Plain Rolls

Place bits of dough into greased muffin tins or shape any other way desired. Let rise until doubled.

Cinnamon Bread

Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread with butter, then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll tightly and place in loaf pan; let rise until double in bulk.

Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

Boil 1/2 Cup Raisins for 20 minutes. Dry thoroughly. Work as for Cinnamon Bread, but add raisins before rolling up.
Be very careful to roll the dough tight so that large air pockets do not form during cooking. Let rise until doubled.

Cinnamon Rolls

Roll dough into rectangle. Brush with butter; then cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top with raisins, chopped apples, sliced maraschino cherries, and chopped walnuts.
Roll tightly. Seal edge well with water/flour mixture. Carefully cut into 1-inch slices; place on cookie sheets. Allow to rise to double in bulk.
Bake (see below) and when cool, drizzle with powdered sugar glaze.

Baking the Bread

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped lightly. As top begins to brown, baste with melted butter for a soft, buttery crust.