The Best Sandwich Bread
The best sandwich bread is fluffy, but doesn't fall apart and isn't crumbly. This easy homemade bread has the perfect soft crumb.
Servings: 2 loaves
Cost: $3
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans 4.5x8.5 inch or 5x9 inch
- 1 Bosch Mixer OR
- 1 Kitchen Aid Mixer (or by hand)
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups warm water (397 grams)
- 1 tablespoon SAF instant yeast (or active dry) (9 grams)
- ½ tablespoon salt (9 grams)
- ¼ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil) (37 grams)
- 3 tablespoons honey (63 grams) (or white sugar)
- 4½ cups unbleached bread flour (or all-purpose flour) (585 grams)
- cooking spray or oil for the loaf pans
Instructions
- Add the warm water (about 105℉), instant yeast, salt, canola oil, and honey to a mixer with the dough hook attached. (If using active dry yeast, add it to the water and allow it to bloom before adding the salt, oil and honey)
- Start by adding only 4 cups of flour to the mixer.
- Begin to mix and knead dough with mixer. Add the remaining ½ cup of flour slowly as you watch for the dough to be slightly sticky, but begin to form into a ball as it is kneading.
- Knead for 6 minutes in a Bosch mixer or 9 minutes in a KitchenAid or similar mixer.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
- Let it rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Until it has more than doubled in size, but still keeps the dome shape.
- Spray two loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half. You may need to use a little sprinkle flour to knead and shape it into two 1 lb loaves. Place the two shaped loaves in the loaf pans.
- Rise Option 1: Rub a little oil or butter on the top of two pieces of plastic wrap. Place the plastic wrap over the dough allowing room for the dough to grow for about 45-60 minutes.Rise Option 2: Place a pan in your oven and add 2 cups of boiling water to the pan. Let the loaves rise in the warm, steamy oven with the light on for 30-45 minutes.
- If using a 4.5x8.5 inch pan: The middle of the risen dough should be about 1 inch above the edge.If using a 5x9 inch pan: The middle of the risen dough should be just barely above the top of the edge.
- Once the dough has risen, very carefully remove the plastic wrap (option 1) or remove them from the warm oven (option 2). Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Be gentle placing the loaves in the oven. You don't want the dough to deflate. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Remove the loaves from the loaf pans and allow them to cool on a wire cooling rack before slicing them.
Video
Notes
Tips:
- If your dough gets a dry crust when rising or you live in a dry climate try putting the loaves in the oven to rise with a pan of boiling hot water to create a warm steamy environment for your dough to rise.
- If you made a dense loaf of bread try adding less flour and giving it more rise time before baking. Use the dense loaf as homemade croutons.
- If your dough collapsed while baking you may have let it over-rise. Try reducing the rise time next time you bake bread.
- If your bread sticks to your loaf pan you can use parchment paper to keep it from sticking. I love using these USA Loaf Pans. I haven't had any issues with dough sticking.
- See the recipe post for directions on how to make the bread by hand.
- Storage: Keep the bread wrapped in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, a bread bag, or a paper bag.
- Freezing: After the bread has cooled down, wrap it in plastic wrap, freezer paper, or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: After allowing the frozen bread to come to room temperature, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes.