Sandwich Bread
The Softest Sandwich Bread You'll Ever Make!
Welcome to the wonderful world of homemade bread! If you've ever dreamed of biting into a fluffy, soft loaf that practically begs to be turned into a sandwich, you're in for a treat. This white yeast bread recipe is your ticket to bakery-quality goodness right in your own kitchen. With a tender crust and a pillowy crumb, it’s perfect for everything from classic jam sandwich to gourmet grilled cheese. So grab your apron, and let’s get kneading—your taste buds will thank you!
Ingredients:
1 sachet Fast Acting Yeast or 2tsp Dried yeast or 15g Fresh Yeast
1tsp Granulated sugar
350ml Tepid full fat milk
500g Strong white flour
1½tsp Table salt
Egg Wash:
1 Egg plus 1tbsp of milk
Yield: 1 800g approx. loaf
Original Victorian Milk Bread recipe from Bread by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno
Method
- Warm the milk for 40-50 seconds in the microwave, add the granulated sugar and yeast, stir to mix and leave to "bloom" for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix to combine, make a well in the centre for the milky yeast.
- When the yeast has become a frothy concoction (pictured below) pour it into the well and gradually pull the flour in from the side of the bowl with a spatula until you have a tacky dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, usually 5-10 minutes. Try not to add too much flour to your hands or the work surface as it will make for a tougher drier loaf.
- Place the dough back into your mixing bowl, smear a small amount of a neutral oil over the dough to prevent it from drying out and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a draught free area of your kitchen until it has doubled in size. This depends on the time of year and the warmth of you kitchen but usually it takes 1-2 hours.
- Half way through the rising knock back or use your hand to gently push the back to remove any large air bubble forming the dough and let it continue to rise.
- Grease a 1lb (L20cm, W13cm, D9cm) loaf tin with a small amount of oil or butter.
- Turn out the dough and carefully shape it into a 30-40cm log, work into an S shape and place it into the greased loaf tin. Cover and allow the loaf to rise until it is about 2.5cm above the rim of the tin (see note).
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6, brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash and bake for 45 minutes or until a deep golden brown. The base of the loaf should have a hollow sound when tapped,
- Once out of the tin allow to cool completely on a wire rack (the crumb structure continues to set as a loaf cools).
- This bread can be made easily in a stand mixer, knead on minimum speed for 3-4 minutes or until the dough isn't tacky or sticks to your finger when lightly touched. It can be left to rise (dough hook removed) in the mixing bowl once it's oiled and covered with a clean tea towel. Knock back and shape as above.
- I use an oven thermometer to determine the actual temperature of my oven, if your oven is anything like mine the thermostat light is a mere suggestion as to the actual oven temp. Mine is usually out by about 30°, either too cool or too hot and having under cooked and burnt a few loaves I bought an inexpensive Judge thermometer for my peace of mind.
- I don not think there is a standard size 1lb loaf tin, most tins available for sale in supermarkets are 7cm deep (I've checked), my George Wilkinson (pictured) tin is 9cm and my Pullman tin is 11cm deep. This recipe states that the dough is proved when it reaches 2.5cm above the tin, I take that to mean a tin that is 9cm deep.
- Here is a link to either a bread kneading or shaping tutorial video on YouTube.
