Wonderful white bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of milk
• 3 tbsp (45 g) butter
• 1 packet (1 tbsp) of instant dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons of sugar or honey
• 3 cups of flour
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• Separate the whites of 2 eggs and beat lightly.
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Dissolve the yeast by adding it to the warm milk and butter. Add the sugar and stir gently to dissolve. Let stand for 3 minutes, until foamy, indicating the yeast is active. Turn the mixer on low speed and gradually whisk in the flour. When the dough begins to come together, increase the speed to medium and add the salt and 1 egg white. Stop the mixer periodically to release the dough from the dough hook. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky, about 10 minutes.
2. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it with your hands for about a minute. Knead by folding and stretching it, rather than pressing it. Properly kneaded dough should be able to be pulled and stretched without breaking. Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, turning it to coat the entire ball with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Test the dough for doneness by pressing it with two fingers. If the indentations take a long time to smooth out, the dough has risen enough.
3. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a work surface. The dough will naturally deflate as you turn it out, so there's no need to knead it vigorously. Handle the dough gently. If you overwork the gluten at this stage, it will become too dense and difficult to shape. *To make a loaf, form the dough into a rectangle, fold the long sides into the middle, then fold the ends in. Pinch the edges and place the dough, seam side down, in a greased 9x5" loaf pan. Make sure the dough completely fills the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise a second time for 20 minutes, or until the top of the dough is almost level with the top of the pan. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a large baking pan on the bottom rack. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil on the stovetop. Pour hot water into the preheated pan to create a steam bath for the bread. This will give it a crispy crust.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough down the center of the loaf to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (90°C) on an instant-read thermometer. When tapped, the loaf should sound hollow. Immediately remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
   
   

   * Cooking options:

   
   To make cinnamon-raisin swirl bread, after the dough has risen for the first time, form it into a rectangle and sprinkle the surface with cinnamon and raisins to completely cover. Roll the dough into a log and continue working with it as directed in the recipe.