• Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir and keep aside in a draft-free place for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
• Add the flour, salt, butter, and yeast mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer.

  Or to a large mixing bowl, if not using a stand mixer.
• Knead the dough at low speed for 2-3 minutes, then at medium speed for 8-9 minutes, until you get a smooth, soft, slightly sticky dough.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.
• Take the dough out on a work surface and gently degas it while patting it into a rough rectangle, about 12" * 8".
• Fold the top third over the bottom. Then fold the bottom third over the other layers.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 16" x 8".
• Now roll the dough into a tight roll. Crimp the edges to seal. Pinch the side edges too to seal them well.
• Gently roll the shaped dough toward yourself to create surface tension for a better rise.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased 8" x4" loaf pan. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise for 35-45 minutes until puffy.
• Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250 C.
• Bake the risen dough at 180 C for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
• Let the bread cool for 2-3 hours, before slicing. Enjoy!

Storage

• This bread will stay well for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped. If it's not too hot where you live, you can keep it on the countertop for 2-3 days too.