Lean doughs, consisting of flour, yeast, salt, and water, create breads with a chewier texture and crispier crust. Examples include sourdough, ciabatta, and most pizza doughs. Enriched doughs, on the other hand, incorporate higher amounts of sugar and fat, resulting in a tender texture and softer crust. This guide focuses on enriched doughs, perfect for sandwich bread.
Accuracy in baking is crucial, and weighing ingredients is more reliable than using volume measurements. Two leveled cups of flour can have significant weight differences, impacting the final product. Using a kitchen scale ensures consistency and predictable results.
Two cups of flour on a scale showing different weights.
Begin by heating milk to a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Add yeast and stir until dissolved. This process, called proofing, tests the yeast’s viability. After 5-10 minutes, a foamy layer should form. If not, the yeast is likely dead.
While the yeast proofs, combine bread flour, sugar (or honey), and salt in a large mixing bowl. Once the yeast is proofed, pour it into the dry ingredients along with melted butter. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms.
Mixing dough ingredients in a bowl.
Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. This reduces stickiness and makes kneading easier, particularly when kneading by hand. After resting, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. This develops gluten, which is essential for bread structure.
Gluten development progresses through four stages: short, improved, intense, and over-kneaded. Aim for intense gluten development, where the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test. Over-kneading can weaken the gluten, resulting in a poor rise.
Kneading dough on a countertop.
Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size. This usually takes 45-60 minutes, but may take longer in cooler environments.
Once doubled, shape the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and roll it into a log. This is also the stage to incorporate flavorings, such as cinnamon swirl or everything bagel seasoning. Place the log in a greased loaf pan, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until domed about 1-2 inches above the pan’s edge.
Dough rising in a loaf pan.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit about 20 minutes before the final rise is complete. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Cooling allows the bread to set properly and prevents a gummy texture.
Fully cooled bread slices cleanly and boasts a perfect texture. Enjoy your homemade sandwich bread with your favorite spreads and fillings. This basic recipe can be adapted to create various flavored breads.
Sliced loaf of bread on a cutting board.
For a cinnamon swirl bread, spread a mixture of melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, and optional nuts over the rolled-out dough before shaping. For everything bagel bread, incorporate everything bagel seasoning into the dough and on the surface before baking. These variations showcase the versatility of this basic sandwich bread recipe.
