This bread is everyone’s all time favorite to make sandwiches, toast and French toast. It’s tall and domed with soft golden brown crust and airy, tender, creamy white interior. The milk and water keep the texture soft and tender, the sugar gives the taste a touch of sweetness and the butter adds some richness. Here’s a great recipe to try your hand at homemade classic American sandwich bread.
KEY TOOLS/EQUIPMENT
- Oven - Preheat to 350⁰F
- Stand Mixer
- 8 ½ by 4 ½ Loaf Pan - Greased
- Large Bowl - Greased
- Medium Bowl
- Digital Kitchen Scale
- Spray Bottle
CLASSIC SANDWICH BREAD
- Servings: 3
- Preparation Time: 4H
- Cooking Time: 40M
- Total Time: 4H 40M
- Difficulty: Easy
INGREDIENTS: (All measurements are by weight except TBS and tsp.)
- 13½ oz bread flour
- 2 tsps instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1½ tsps salt
- 4 oz whole milk at room temperature
- 4 oz water at room temperature
- 2 TBS unsalted butter, melted
- 2 TBS sugar
DIRECTIONS:
STEP 1:
In a stand mixer bowl, whisk flour, yeast, and salt. In a medium glass bowl, whisk whole milk, water, butter and honey. Set the stand mixer with a dough hook on low. Mix by adding slowly the milk mixture into the dry ingredients until flour is fully incorporated for about 2 minutes.
STEP 2:
Knead on medium-low for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic and does not stick on the side of the mixing bowl.
STEP 3:
Transfer the dough on a kneading board lightly dusted with flour. Knead by hand for 30 seconds using stretch and fold method until dough is smooth and can formed into a ball.
STEP 4:
Place the dough into a lightly greased large glass bowl seam side down, cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
STEP 5:
Press down the dough to deflate large air bubbles. On a lightly floured surface, press and stretch dough to 8 by 6 inch rectangle. Roll dough into a tight cylinder (roll away from you, tucking as you go) and press seam to seal the dough.
STEP 6:
Transfer the dough into a greased pan seam side down, pressing gently into each corner. Cover the pan loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the dough rises 1 inch above the tip of the pan.
STEP 7:
Mist loaf with water and place inside the oven on lower middle rack. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350⁰F or until deep golden brown in color. Rotate pan halfway through baking. Remove loaf from the oven and let cool.