Classic White Sandwich Bread
If you're looking for a starter recipe to learn yeast bread-making, try my beginner-friendly Classic White Sandwich Bread. The recipe uses ingredients you keep on hand and instructions detail every step. The bread has the soft texture that children love and makes excellent toast. Scroll down to find demonstration video.
Prep: 40 minutes
First rise: 1 hour 15 minutes
Second knead & shape: 10 minutes
Second rise: 35 minutes
Bake: 10 minutes at 400° & 22-24 minutes at 350°Makes: 1 loaf
Pan: 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (1 pound)
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
2 3/4-3 cups bread (349g-381g) or all-purpose (330g-360g) flour
3/4 cup whole milk, warm
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light brown or granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup warm water (100°-110°)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for bowl, melted
1 tablespoon milk for glaze, room temperature
Cooking spray
Directions:
Measure or weigh bread or all-purpose flour into a medium bowl and set aside.
Measure milk and add milk and 2 tablespoons butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave at full power for 45-60 seconds until very warm, but not boiling. Transfer milk mixture to a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon light brown or granulated sugar, and stir together.
Check the expiration date on the yeast. In a small bowl, stir together yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and warm water. Water should be baby bottle temperature; a drop on the inside of your wrist should feel neither hot nor cold. Let dissolved yeast stand until it froths and increases in volume, about 3-5 minutes.
Test the temperature of the milk mixture; it should now be lukewarm. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture.
Add 1 cup of the bread flour or all-purpose flour to liquid ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 1 minute and then increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. If you prefer, beat vigorously by hand for 300 strokes. Stir in enough additional flour by hand to make the dough roll away from the sides of the bowl, about 1-1 1/2 cups. Reserve at least 1/2 cup flour for kneading.
Turn out dough onto a floured board. Sprinkle flour over the top of the dough and knead for 10 minutes. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking, but as little as possible. Dough will stick less after about 5 minutes of kneading and require less flour.
To knead, fold the back of the dough toward you. Use your palms to push the dough away from you with a rolling motion. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat, folding toward you and rolling away. Knead lightly and rhythmically. Continue to knead until the dough is bouncy and elastic and air bubbles are visible under the surface. At this point, the dough will no longer be sticky.
Form the dough into a smooth ball with seam side on bottom. Place 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a large bowl. Place dough in the bowl, turn to coat all sides, and end with seam side down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean dish towel, place in a warm, draft-free place (see "tips"), and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Uncover the dough and punch down with a fist. Knead again for 5 minutes adding as little of the remaining flour as possible. Shape into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes with seam side down, loosely covered, on a lightly floured board.
Prepare an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Shape the dough ball into an oblong with seam on bottom; have loaf pan close by to estimate size of oblong. Do not pull and stretch dough, but gently shape between your hands. Turn over dough and pinch together seam. Turn under both ends and pinch. Turn smooth side back up and drop into loaf pan. Cover the pan somewhat loosely and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has risen an inch above the top of the pan, about 30-35 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 400° during the final 15 minutes of the second rise period.
Uncover the pan and carefully burst any air bubbles you see on the top of the loaf with a toothpick; do not deflate the loaf. This step is not necessary but adds to the appearance of the loaf. Use a pastry brush to brush room temperature milk very gently over the top.
Place loaf pan on a diagonal line on the middle oven rack. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°. Lower the heat to 350° and bake an additional 22-24 minutes. Do not open the oven door until ready to check for doneness after about 20 minutes at 350°.
When done, the top crust will be medium brown in color and the sides begin to pull away from the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out loaf immediately on its side on a wire rack. Thump the bottom of the loaf with your thumb and index finger; the bread is done when the loaf sounds hollow. If you're not sure, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf from the bottom. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, slip the loaf back into pan and bake another few minutes. Turn the loaf right side up and cool completely on a wire rack.
Wrap and store bread for 5 days. Freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Tips:
- A warm, draft-free location for rising should be neither hot nor cold; too hot an area will kill the yeast and too cold will inhibit rising. You can turn on a microwave for 30 seconds and then place the bowl inside the microwave; do not turn on microwave after bowl is placed in oven. You can place the bowl on the top of your hot water heater, if in a sheltered location in the house. You can turn on your oven for 3-4 seconds, turn off heat, and then place bowl in oven with light on to maintain gentle warmth. If the element even begins to turn red, the oven is too hot!
- Bread is approaching done when it gives off that delicious, yeasty, new bread fragrance. When done, yeast bread will begin to pull away from the sides, but not as much as cake.