A lovely white sandwich bread, tender crust, and creamy crumb. Perfect for toast, sandwiches, and an incredible grilled cheese, or PBJ. It's also a versatile dough that can make rolls, buns, cinnamon swirl bread, garlic knots, bread pockets, and amazing cinnamon rolls.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Servings 2loaves
Equipment
9 x 5 inch loaf tin
Ingredients
1cupmilkbarely warmed (not above 100F) This can be prepared powdered milk
4teaspooninstant yeast, or active yeast this is 2 sachet packets, or 2 .25oz packets
2 ½cupswatercan also use milk for extra richness (prepared powdered milk works fine)
3teaspoonsalt
3tablespoonsugar
¼cupbutter, margarine, or vegetable oilroom temperature
9 cupsbread flour all-purpose flour works fine, too. MAY NEED additional flour depending on your conditions, see notes below.
2tbsp melted butter for brushing on before baking
Instructions
Instructions for using a STAND MIXER
In a stand mixer with the dough hook, combine the 1 cup warm milk (just a bit warmer than room temp) and the yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes to make sure the yeast blooms, or becomes active. This is just to make sure your yeast is alive. When the yeast wakes up, you'll see a few bubbles and some froth. Add the 2 ½ cups water (or milk if you prefer), salt, and sugar. Mix on low to combine. On low speed, add the flour one cup at a time until 8 cups are added and most of the dough is incorporated, scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be quite wet, like a very stiff cake batter. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to allow the flour to completely absorb the water. Add the softened butter (or margarine, or oil) a bit at a time until fully incorporated. The dough will be slippery at first but it will eventually mix in. The remaining cup of flour can be used now if needed. Add additional flour until the dough starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl in thick strands. Try not to add too much additional flour, as the dough is kneaded it will stiffen up naturally so adding too much flour on the front end can result in a less tender crumb. Mix on low to medium-low to knead the dough until it is shiny and smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl and balling up on the dough hook. About 5-7 minutes. If needed, add a bit more flour. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a ball then transfer to a lightly greased large bowl or bread tub. Cover and place somewhere warm to proof (rise) until double in size. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen this may happen very quickly (30 minutes) or longer (up to an hour). My proofing temperature is about 78F so my dough doubles in 30 minutes. Prepare your 9 x 5-inch bread tins by greasing the bottom and sides with softened butter, oil, or cooking spray. Butter will work best and give the best color when baked. Remove the risen dough to a lightly floured surface to shape into a loaf tin, or whatever your application will be (rolls, buns, etc). Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll out into a 9 inch by 12-inch rectangle, popping the air bubbles. Very tightly roll the dough along the short 9-inch edge (about the length of your bread tins). Tucking in the ends to fit the loaf tin and pinching the seam, roll the loaf of bread so the seam side is down and gently shape into a size that will snugly fit your loaf tin. Place the dough into the tin, seam side down, and gently pat or push the top slightly to evenly shape. Cover and let proof until 75% risen in height, about 1 inch above the rim of the tin. The dough will dome as it rises. Very gently brush with melted butter and bake in a preheated 375F oven on the middle shelf. The dough will continue to rise slightly as it bakes. Baking will take about 30 to 40 minutes - check at the 20-minute mark. Turn the bread around to get even browning. If it looks like its browning too quickly, very loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Using a butter knife, carefully run the knife down the edges of the tin to loosen any stuck sections, then turn out onto the counter to check for doneness. The bread should be golden brown on all sides and have a hollow thump sound on the bottom. If it needs an additional 5 minutes, put it back in the oven directly on the oven rack (no tin) to finish baking. Let cool before slicing - about 45 minutes. If it's sliced too early, the crumb may not have set up and could be a little gummy.
Instructions for MIXING BY HAND
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup warm milk (just a bit warmer than room temp) and the yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes to make sure the yeast blooms, or becomes active. This is just to make sure your yeast is alive. When the yeast wakes up, you'll see a few bubbles and some froth. Add the 2 ½ cups water (or milk if you prefer), salt, and sugar. Stir to combine. Add 8 ½ cups of flour and with clean hands incorporate the mixture. The dough will be quite wet, like a very stiff cake batter. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to allow the flour to completely absorb the water. Add the softened butter (or margarine, or oil) a bit at a time until fully incorporated in the dough. The dough will be slippery at first but it will eventually mix in. Work and knead the dough inside the bowl for 2-3 minutes, it will be very wet - this is normal. Turn out the dough onto a heavily floured counter and begin kneading the dough - fold the edges in towards the middle, then pushing the dough down, fold in the edges, push it down, and repeat. You'll rotate the dough as you go to knead all sides. As you knead the dough the gluten will strengthen and will start to pull together. It will still be sticky but will start to have structure. If you need to add more flour - add up to an additional cup, a little at a time, until the dough becomes a cohesive mass. A bench scraper really helps here to scrape the edges and bring them up into the middle, then pushing down in the center with your hands. Continue kneading another 5 minutes or until the dough becomes shiny and more smooth. Shape the dough into a ball then transfer to a lightly greased large bowl or bread tub. Cover and place somewhere warm to proof (rise) until double in size. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen this may happen very quickly (30 minutes) or longer (up to an hour). My proofing temperature is about 78F so my dough doubles in 30 minutes. Prepare your 9 x 5-inch bread tins by greasing the bottom and sides with softened butter, oil, or cooking spray. Butter will work best and give the best color when baked. Remove the risen dough to a lightly floured surface to shape into a loaf tin, or whatever your application will be (rolls, buns, etc). Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll out into a 9 inch by 12-inch rectangle, popping the air bubbles. Very tightly roll the dough along the short 9-inch edge (about the length of your bread tins). Tucking in the ends to fit the loaf tin and pinching the seam, roll the loaf of bread so the seam side is down and gently shape into a size that will snugly fit your loaf tin. Place the dough into the tin, seam side down, and gently pat or push the top slightly to evenly shape. Cover and let proof until 75% risen in height, about 1 inch above the rim of the tin. The dough will dome as it rises. Very gently brush with melted butter and bake in a preheated 375F oven on the middle shelf. The dough will continue to rise slightly as it bakes. Baking will take about 30 to 40 minutes - check at the 20-minute mark. Turn the bread around to get even browning. If it looks like its browning too quickly, very loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Using a butter knife, carefully run the knife down the edges of the tin to loosen any stuck sections, then turn out onto the counter to check for doneness. The bread should be golden brown on all sides and have a hollow thump sound on the bottom. If it needs an additional 5 minutes, put it back in the oven directly on the oven rack (no tin) to finish baking. Let cool before slicing - about 45 minutes. If it's sliced too early, the crumb may not have set up and could be a little gummy.
Notes
It's difficult to give the exact amount of flour needed and baking time needed because each loaf is different depending on the temperature in the kitchen (or proofing environment), the hydration in the flour, and variations in oven temperatures. This recipe and instructions are going to get you 90% of the way to a great loaf of bread - and the 10% is going to be your judgment call if you need additional flour, or if you need additional proofing time (dough rise) - if your kitchen is 70F or lower, you'll definitely need additional proofing time - if it's warmer than 78 or 80F - that dough will proof fast! You'll also need judgment on baking time - keep your eye on it, turn the oven light on and watch for color. Tent it if the top looks like it could over-brown. Be sure to bake in the center of the oven or lower if you need to. Too low, and the bottom will burn. Too high and the top will over-brown. You'll know it's done when the bottom sounds hollow when thumped and the internal temp is 190F. Once the bread is cooled it can be sliced and it will store at room temperature for 4 days if placed in a plastic bag or BeeWrap. It freezes well and I like to pre-slice then freeze.