How To Make Basic White Sandwich Bread

By jab120638

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
• 1 cup (8 oz) warm water
• 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (8 oz) milk - whole, 2%, or skim
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 cups (24 3/4 ounces - 29 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from thekitchn.com

Preparation

Step 1

How To Make Basic White Sandwich Bread — Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn | The Kitchn

Maker Talks

How To Make Basic White Sandwich Bread

What does a loaf of white sandwich bread make you think of? For me, these pillowy, slightly sweet loaves conjure PB&J sandwiches in wax paper, french toast on Saturday mornings, and picnics in the park. If you've been thinking of trying your hand at homemade sandwich bread, here's a great recipe to make first.

This loaf accomplishes this balance by using a mix of water and milk, which helps keep the bread soft and tender. A pat of butter adds some richness and a few spoonfuls of sugar give it a touch of sweetness without tipping things into dessert territory.

For those of you hoping for a good recipe for whole-wheat sandwich bread, hang tight. We'll be getting to that in just a few weeks.

Makes 2 loaves

Make sure the water is warm to the touch. If you can't comfortably hold your finger in the water for several seconds, wait for it to cool. Pour the water into the bowl of a standing mixer or large mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let this stand for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the milk, sugar, and salt. Pour 1 cup of flour and the milk mixture over the yeast. Stir until this comes together into a loose, lumpy batter.

Add another 4 1/2 cups of flour, reserving the remaining cup if the dough is sticky during kneading. Stir until a floury, shaggy dough is formed.

Using the dough hook attachment on a standing mixer, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. Alternatively,

against the counter. If the dough is bubble-gum sticky against the sides of the bowl or the counter, add extra flour a tablespoon at a time until it is no longer sticky. The

Clean out the mixing bowl and film it with a little oil. Form the dough into a ball and turn it in the bowl to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about one hour.

Heat the oven to 425° F about halfway through the second rise.

Slash the tops of the loaves with a serrated knife and put them in the oven. Immediately turn down the heat to 375°F and bake for 30-35 minutes. Finished loaves will be dark golden-brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove the loaves from the pans and let them cool completely before slicing.

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