Sandwich Bread
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This Homemade Sandwich Bread is soft, fluffy, and golden on top. It’s perfect for toast in the morning, sandwiches at lunch, or warm slices with butter straight from the oven. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to store bought!
Years ago my husband started baking bread. He would make one loaf a week and it was just the best! This went on for a few months until the loaves started having some trouble.
We tried trouble shooting by changing the yeast, the flour, the temperature, and everything but it was to no avail. We slowly stopped baking bread because it just wasn’t turning out. Occasionally we try new recipes and some work and others don’t.
Yeast breads are hard to make but when they work they are totally worth the effort. One of my favorite yeast breads to make in the summer is Fresh Herb Bread with herbs from my garden. I also have a Classic White Sandwich Loaf that turns out well most of the time. While Virgil Flours, my sourdough starter, has died, this Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Loaf was a favorite.
Now that bread prices are out of control I decided to go back to my Sandwich Bread recipe and tweak it in hopes of having a recipe we could make weekly again. I got new yeast and used a good flour and hoped it would turn out.
How do you make yeast bread?
Making yeast bread is time consuming but worth it. Usually you start by activating the yeast with warm water. Then you make the dough with flour, salt, and butter or oil. The dough is the kneaded and left to rise. The dough is generally punched down, shaped into a loaf, and left to rise again before being baked.
I’ve tried many bread recipes over the years and some are better then others. Since I needed bread for my lunch, I wanted to use my sandwich bread recipe.
Ingredients:
- all purpose flour ( you can also use half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour if you prefer)
- salt
- milk (it’s best not to use plant based milk when making bread)
- warm water (110-115 degrees)
- salted butter (or unsalted if you prefer)
- honey (you can also use brown sugar in place of the honey)
- dry active yeast
To make the bread activate the yeast by combining it with the warm water and allowing it to sit for 5 minutes. Add in the warm milk, melted butter, and honey and mix well.
In another bowl combine the flour and salt and mix well. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until a ball forms. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
Do I have to cover my bowl with plastic wrap?
Plastic wrap is the best option because it creates a warm, humid environment which helps the dough rise. You can also use a silicone bowl lid to cover your bowl. You can use a kitchen towel but it allows air in which often causes the dough to rise more slowly or not as much.
Punch the dough down and press into a rectangle. Roll the dough up and seal the seams. Place in a bread pan. Cover and let rise until doubled.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
This bread ended up baking up perfectly. It was golden brown, rose above the pan, and looked soft and fluffy.
The bread had a nice crunch on the outside and was soft inside. It was the perfect sandwich bread and it stood up well to toppings piled on it for a sandwich.
How do you store sandwich bread?
Store sandwich bread in an air tight container at room temperature. You can also place it on a cutting board and cover it with foil for several days. Another option is placing it in a plastic bag.
Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 1/4 teaspoon 1 envelop instant yeast
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl combine the yeast and warm water. Let it bloom for 5 minutes. Then add the warm milk, melted butter, and honey. Mix well to combine.
- Pour the flour mixture into the milk mixture and mix until a ball forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes. Add up to an additional 1/4 cup of flour if your dough is too sticky.
- Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, rubbing the dough around the bowl to coat lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the warm spot for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
- Punch the dough down and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough into an 8 inch square that is about 1 inch thick. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seams shut.
- Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and place the dough in seam side down. Cover with a towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes or until the top is browned and the bread is cooked through.
- Cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.
Notes
