While your bread is doing its final rising in the bread pan, start pre-heating your oven to 400°F (205° C).

Once the bread has reached its final rising point, VERY GENTLY transfer the loaf, in its pan, into the preheated oven. Once in, lower the temperature to 375°F (190°C).

Bake for 40-45 minutes.  This time and temperature settings are for a metal bread pan (see image, below) ... if you are using a glass pan, your temperature setting may need to be lowered to 350°F (175°C), and the baking time increased.

To check if the bread is done, the most accurate method is via a thermometer probe:

Insert the thermometer into the side or bottom of the loaf so the tip of the probe is near the center of the loaf.  The bread's temperature should be between 195° and 200°F (90-93°C).

Once this temperature has been reached, remove the bread from the pan, place it on a cooling rack, and cover with a cotton towel (this keeps the crust soft ... if you like a crunchy crust, do not cover).

After the bread has cooled for at least 20 minutes or so, slice off a piece and enjoy the ultimate taste treat:  a slice of warm bread!!

Click on image to view full size

As you can see from the picture above (click to see full size), the texture is elastic and porous, and the crumb is very soft.

Go back to the MIXING PROCESS
Go back to the KNEADING PROCESS
Go back to the RISING PROCESS