Country White Sandwich Bread

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Fluffy, soft, and so easy to make- perfect for sandwiches, with jam or even french toast! This country white sandwich bread is a staple.

Other than sourdough, I regularly keep a loaf of this bread made up. Bread is probably one of my favorite things to bake. There are so many variations and ways to make such a simple food that I am never left bored. I also feel so accomplished when I have worked hard to fine tune a recipe and finally perfect it. There is just something so calming about mixing simple ingredients, working the dough with my hands and creating something so beautiful.

I love to keep yummy from scratch food available for my family. It is cheaper, healthier and a great skill for my daughter to grow up around. I hope to teach her how to bake bread one day.

While this recipe is not my beloved sourdough, I have heard from several people that bread making is intimidating. I definitely see why. Yeast can be tricky and sourdough even more so. But I promise this is so easy and once you become familiar with the signs to look for, you will not feel the same!

What is the difference in sourdough and using store bought yeast?

You can buy regular yeast from the store while sourdough requires no store bought yeast. It requires a sourdough starter (Learn how to make one here). Using yeast generally requires less rise time and is overall less tricky. Sourdough can take longer, vary more from loaf to loaf and requires a little more eye to know how the dough is reacting. Don’t let me scare you away from sourdough though! The health benefits are amazing and the taste is even better. But if you are new to bread baking, I suggest starting with store bought yeast and getting a grasp before moving on to sourdough. This recipe is a perfect start!

What does the process of bread making look like?

This is what confused me the most when I first started. Everyone’s process can look different and it varies depending on what type of bread you are making. For example, a sandwich loaf will require different steps than a crusty, artisan loaf. But the overall science behind it is generally the same.

For this sandwich loaf, the process is simple. You can easily whip this up in a few hours, start to finish. To start, you mix the dough. Then you cover and let rise. Punch it down, shape and let rise again then bake. That is a standard process in its easiest form.

What kind of bread is best for sandwiches?

You want a bread with a more closed crumb. A closed crumb means there are less air bubbles that create holes in the bread. While these holes create a light bread, it is not best for sandwiches because your food will fall through.

Tips:

• Keep an eye on the bread while it rises, especially in the summer! This bread will rise quickly and you do not want to overproof.
• Let the bread completely cool before cutting. This keeps the bread from getting squashed while cutting and creates a better texture on the inside of the bread.
• Let your milk/butter cool to at least 120 degrees F before mixing with the yeast. If it is too hot, it will kill your yeast.
• Use the milk wash! It really creates a pretty browning on the top of the loaf.

Tools you may need:

You really do not need much for this bread. It is so simple and is really good for beginners.

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Loaf pan(s)
• Optional stand mixer (I actually don’t use one)

Ingredients

3 1/3 C All Purpose Flour

5 C Bread Flour ( can use all purpose if you do not have bread)

1 1/3 Tbsp Yeast

1 2/3 Tbsp Honey

1 2/3 Tbsp Butter

3 1/3 C Milk

1 1/3 Tbsp Salt

How to make this country white sandwich bread

Yields 2 loaves

Prep the dough

In a pan, combine milk (save one cup and leave out), honey, butter and salt. Heat just enough to melt the butter and dissolve the salt and honey. Let cool to below 110-120 degrees F.

In a separate bowl combine all purpose flour and yeast.

Once cooled, add milk mixture to flour mixture and combine. This can be done with a wooden spoon, dough whisk or even in a stand mixer.

Add bread flour one cup at a time, combining in between each. By the last few cups you may need to use your hands to fully combine.

If using a stand mixer, knead dough for around 4-6 minutes. If kneading by hand, flour surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. It is ready when it passes the window pane test.

Rise

Knead into a ball and place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for around one hour or until it has doubled.

Punch dough down after the first rise. Cut into two loaves and shape into a loaf shape.

Place into buttered or oiled loaf pans, cover with a tea towel and let rise an additional hour or until the dough has doubled. I like to let my get pretty big here to get a really nice shape.

Bake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Once the dough is ready, rub the top with milk and place into oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. The crust will be golden brown and the bread will sound hollow.

Let cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy your country white sandwich bread!

How to make a Sourdough Starter (from scratch)

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