Step 1

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and milk in a large bowl.

Step 2

Whisk in the yeast.

Step 3

Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture gets foamy.

Step 4

Stir in 1 cup of the flour.

Step 5

Whisk in the salt and oil.

Step 6

With the mixer running add the remaining flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl.

Step 7

Knead by machine about 5 minutes.

Step 8

If you are hand kneading mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic - adding flour as needed.

Step 9

Oil a large bowl and place the ball of dough in it.

Step 10

Oil the top of the dough and then cover with a damp cloth.

Step 11

Allow it to rise until it has doubled in bulk. This will take about an hour.

Step 12

Punch the dough down.

Step 13

Knead for three minutes or so and divide in half.

Step 14

Let rest for five minutes.

Step 15

Shape into loaves and then place in greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.

Step 16

Brush the tops with the melted butter.

Step 17

Let rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough has risen an inch or so above the pans.

Step 18

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

Step 19

For a soft crust butter the tops and place a clean tea towel over the baked loaves as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then take them out of the pans to finish cooling, covering them back up with the tea towel.

Step 20

Add ingredients to your bread machine in the order the manufacturer recommends.

Step 21

Select white bread cycle.

Step 22

Press "start".

Step 23

When the dough has risen once and second cycle of kneading begins, turn the machine off. Press "start" again to reset the machine.

Step 24

The dough will rise a second time before it bakes.