1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 (1 ounce) package active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons cornmeal
4 cups milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
5 egg yolks (optional)
3 tablespoons milk for greasing
In a saucepan over low heat, combine remaining 2 1/2 cup sugar and water; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in yeast. Reduce heat to a low, and allow to cook, stirring constantly, until dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Stir in flour until smooth and creamy. Stir in salt, 3/4 cup of milk, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Place baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch rectangle pan.
Divide dough in half, divide the bottom half in the middle with the flour, and divide in the remaining flour and yeast and 1/2 cup milk. Drop bread dough on pan, move pan outward, and turn dough over end to make a slight creak as he walks around the center.
Now turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead all together, 3/4 cup at a time, until smooth and hard and elastic, about 8 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into bars in half and form into round loaves. Continue to knead 4 minutes more, and press dough onto bottom sections of pan. Cool 30 minutes. Butter a large spoon, place over bottom of prepared pan, and press evenly down.
Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely, then fully split each loaf 1/2 inch thick into 3/4 inch wide loaf pan sections. Set aside to cool completely. Before long, remove from pan, allow to cool completely, and cut each loaf section into one inch cubes. Dab each slice with a knife or wire brush.
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