Easy Bread Recipe - Plain and Swirl

Stop having boring tacos on Tuesday.  These Street Tacos are fast and easy to make.  Your family will be amazed that you made them from scratch.  And don't forget to serve them with my Chipotle Crema Sauce.

Directions

• Weigh out 50 grams of sugar in a small bowl.
• In a small mixing bowl, add 2 cups of water.  Heat water until it reaches about 110 degrees F.
• To your stand mixer's mixing bowl, add the warmed water, a pinch of sugar, and two tablespoons of yeast.
• Allow your yeast to proof for 5-10 minutes.  It should begin to bubble and create foam.  If it does not do this, your yeast is dead, and you should start over with fresh yeast.
• Once your yeast is proofed, add in the remaining sugar, salt, oil, and 360 grams (3 cups) of bread flour.
• Mix using your stand mixer's bread hook.  If you don't have a bread hook, you can use a regular paddle attachment or mix it by hand.
• Add 120 grams of flour (1 cup) and mix to combine.
• Continue to add flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Dough should be elastic and just slightly sticky.
• Knead the dough in your mixer using a dough hook.  Knead for 5 minutes on medium speed.  If you don't have a dough hook, you can knead by hand for 5 to 8 minutes.
• Oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning it to coat.  Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours. 
• You can use a Fast Rise method if you are short on time.  Heat oven to 180 degrees F.  Turn off the oven, place the greased bowl with the dough inside, and leave the door cracked slightly.  Your dough will double in about 45 minutes.
• Butter 2 bread pans and set aside.
• Once the dough has doubled, punch it down to remove all the air.
• Divide the dough in half.
• For Sandwich Bread:  Shape each half into a loaf and place in the prepared pan.
• For Swirl Bread: Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle.  For each bread, mix 1/4 cup of sugar and two tablespoons of cinnamon.  Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the bread.  Leave about 1 inch around the edges that are not covered in the mix.  Roll up the bread, shape it into a loaf, and place it in the prepared pan.
• Cover the pans with either a towel or with plastic wrap and set them in a warm place.
• Allow the dough to rise for 45-60 minutes or until it has risen about 1 inch above the loaf pans.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  
• Once your bread has risen, remove the towel or plastic wrap and place it into the oven.  Ensure that pans are not placed too close together to allow for adequate airflow around the pan.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes.  You will know your bread is done when it is golden brown on top, and it will sound hollow when gently tapped on top.
• Allow your bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
• Turn the bread out onto a wire rack and brush the tops with butter.