Homemade, No Fail, Beautiful Bread

I've been a foodie since... oh, uhm, just about always. Ever since I was a little girl, I enjoyed helping my mother out in the kitchen, taste testing her food, and adjusting the seasonings. In fact, I was the official "soup seasoner" practically every single time my mother would make soup because she knew I loved to do it, and knew that I'd season it well.
Part of my food love, not only is eating and making yummy food, but also serving delicious food to others and watching the edges of their lips curl up in satisfaction. And when a food was a hit and a recipe was requested, I always was so happy to comply and share the wealth, the knowledge of how to make that delicious food. I'm not like some chefs who like to have "secret recipes" that only they know how to make. In my opinion, the more people spread around a recipe of mine, the more people cooking "my foods", the more pleased I am. Imitation really is the best form of flattery.

Even before I had my blog, I was sharing recipes with friends, and there is one recipe of mine that is the most famous, that probably has been made the most times by the most people; even strangers message me about my recipe, asking for clarifications and then telling me what a hit it was with their family. I figured, its no fair that the whole wide world knows my recipe except the people who read my blog, so I decided to share it with you.
However, I do need to point out that I wouldn't exactly call this the healthiest recipe, as it is made with white sugar and white flour, but at least its free of all the chemicals and additives found in commercially purchased loaves of bread, and I do know that not everyone that reads my blog avoids specific ingredients, so this recipe is for you, if you're not into "ultra healthy sugar free, whole grain, gluten free eating".

This is the recipe for my no fail bread. I used to never be able to make bread, to the extent that I still have the bread knife that broke one time when my husband tried to cut a loaf that I made... This recipe truly is no fail, provided that you follow the recipe and instructions to a T. If you've been scared off from trying to make bread, either because it looks too intimidating, or because you've failed too many times in the past, here's one that you should give a try.

No Fail Beautiful Bread

Ingredients:
1 oz instant yeast/ 2 packages/ 1.5 tbsp
2 cups warm water. (Test the water- it should be only slightly above lukewarm. Not too cold or the yeast wont rise, not too hot or you'll kill the yeast)
.5 cup sugar
1 tbsp salt
3 cups flour
1 egg (beaten)
.5 cup oil
3.5 to 4 cups flour

Instructions:
Note that in order for this recipe to work out perfectly, you have to do everything in the exact order specified. It may possibly work otherwise, but I'm only guaranteeing it to be "no fail" if you follow this recipe and instructions precisely as written.

1. Mix yeast and 2 cups of warm water

2. Add sugar, salt, and 3 cups of flour. Mix well.

3. Add egg and oil, and mix together.

4. Add the rest of the flour. Mix in and then knead for a few minutes.

5. Let rise in a warm place for an hour, punching down the dough at least 3 times in that hour.

6. Shape the dough. I like braiding mine. This amount of dough makes 4 medium sized braided loaves.

7. If desired, brush with an egg wash (egg yolk mixed with an equal amount of water) and then sprinkle with toppings (like sesame seeds and poppy seeds).

8. Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

9. Bake at 350 until golden brown, approximately 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Note: This recipe works substituting half the white flour with whole wheat flour, but doesn't rise enough if you try to make it 100% whole wheat.

Do you have much success baking bread, or is bread making your bane as it was mine? Do you like keeping your recipes secret or sharing them with the world?
Do you have any "signature recipes"? What are they? Do you make them anymore, or have they spread to so many people with you having long since ceased to make your "famous recipe"?

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