So, we are big fans of carbs around here. There aren’t very many dinners at my house that don’t include some kind of bread or roll to complement the main dish. We have several favorite recipes on rotation, and this homemade sandwich bread has recently won a place on the hits list.
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This recipe is adapted from the ‘Sweet Yeast Rolls’ recipe in the Pastry for Beginners cookbook. As a side note, this is one of my favorite cookbooks. I use it regularly and highly recommend it for both sweet and savory treats. We make that roll recipe frequently to serve with soups, but I wanted something a little less sweet that I could make as a loaf of bread because that’s easier than rolls.
After a few failed experiments involving insufficient baking time, I landed on this recipe for homemade sandwich bread that is easy, soft, and just slightly sweet. It slices really well once it has cooled which makes it great for sandwiches, and we also enjoy it fresh and hot with a bit of butter to go with pasta dishes.
Overall, it’s a pretty simple recipe. The trickiest part is scalding the milk. It’s very important that you check to make sure the milk mixture has cooled enough before adding it to the dough. If you skip this step and add it while it’s still hot it can kill your yeast, which results in a small, dense loaf.
The easiest way to check for the right temperature is to just insert your finger into the milk. If it is uncomfortably warm on your skin, the yeast won’t like it either. I find that if I scald the milk and set it aside before I begin proofing the yeast then it’s typically ready to use by the time I get to that step. You can also swirl it around in the pan to help it cool while you wait on the yeast.
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Soft, fluffy sandwich bread you can make at home!
- 1 c milk
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 packet yeast
- 1/4 c warm water
- 3 1/2 c flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp melted butter
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Add milk and butter to a small saucepan and heat over medium until milk is steaming and just beginning to bubble. Set aside to cool.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer (or other large bowl), combine 1 tsp sugar with yeast packet and pour water over top. Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
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Once yeast is foamy, add in additional tablespoon of sugar, salt, egg, and 2 cups of flour. Check that the milk is sufficiently cooled (you can do this by inserting your finger into the milk; if it is uncomfortably warm on your skin it is still too hot and may kill your yeast), then add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
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Mix on low until combined, then add the remaining flour a little at a time as the mixer kneads the dough over the next 7-8 minutes. You should end up with a fairly firm dough that holds its shape.
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Cover bowl and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled, about an hour. Once it has doubled, preheat oven to 375° and prepare a 9×5 glass bread pan* by coating with nonstick spray. Punch dough down and form into a loaf. Place loaf in the prepared pan and cover again, allowing it to rise a second time for about 45 minutes while the oven heats.
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Bake for 28-30 minutes, until the top is a deep golden brown. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack and brush with melted butter while hot. Allow bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
* I have always used a glass pan with this recipe. You may need to adjust bake time if using a metal bread pan.
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