I've been making no-knead bread and various sourdough recipes. I wanted something frivolous and went recipe-hunting on the web. I found this recipe for Breadchick's no-fail egg bread. Didn't fail! It's egg-y, milk-y, butter-y, and has a fine crumb. I made it with a mixture of Harvest King white bread flour and King Arthur white whole wheat. Kneading holds no terrors for me now that someone from my Zen group has GIVEN me a Kitchenaid mixer with a bread hook.

I'd post a picture, but no digital camera, sorry.

The URL for the recipe is: http://breadchick.com/?p=200

To save you the trouble of going there, here's the recipe:

Breadchick’s No-Fail Egg Bread

8oz water
2 eggs
2 tsp yeast
4 cups of bread flour (13% Gluten)
1/4 cup dry milk
3 tsp butter (melted)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar

Step 1: Sponge:
Mix 1 tsp yeast, 1 cup flour and the water in a 2 quart glass bowl or 2 quart plastic container. Cover with plastic wrap or lid and let it sit for 3 hours in 70 degree room. (This time will be longer in cool room or shorter in warmer room). Tip: If your oven has a light, turn the light on and put the sponge in the oven to rise.

Step 2: Make the dough:
Reserve 1/2 cup of remaining flour and set aside.

Add the melted butter to the sponge and combine completely. Stir the eggs, one at a time into the sponge. Add the yeast, salt, sugar and dry milk and stir until yeast is mixed in completely. Add the remaining flour 1/2 a cup at a time (except for reserved flour) until the dough is firm but shaggy. Dough will feel very soft to tough. Sprinkle the reserved flour on a good clean surface and flour your hands to knead the dough; about 7 - 10 minutes or until you see the development of gluten. You may need to add more flour if the dough is too soft (clumps of dough sticking to your hands). Do this one spoonful at a time. Dough will be smooth and elastic feeling when it is ready. Put in oiled bowl or proofing container and let rise until double, about 2 hours.

Step 3: Form loaf
Punch dough down and press into rectangle about 12″ x 5″ Fold rectangle into 3rds and place seam side down in large greased glass loaf pan. Brush a little melted butter on top of loaf, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until top of loaf touches plastic wrap. Remove plastic wrap and let it rise until it is about 2″ above the rim of the loaf pan.

Step 4: Bake
In 350 degree preheated oven, bake bread for 30 - 35 minute or until internal temperature is 190 degrees. If crust begins to get too brown, cover with foil until last 5 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and pan when done and let cool completely before slicing