There's nothing quite like the smell of fresh baked bread and because of that I make two loaves a week!
This is my favourite sandwich bread recipe so far, which is a slightly altered version of Julia Child's White Sandwich Bread recipe.
Breadmaking for me has been less of an art and more trial and error. I've tried lots of recipes and had some really tasty ones but this is the best one I have come across for your typical sandwich bread.
So to begin ....
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
6-6 1/2 cups unbleached flour*
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1) Start by proofing your yeast. Take about 1/2 a cup of warm water in a small bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until it is nice and foamy. (If it doesn't get foamy it means the yeast is stale, you'll need to toss it out and get some new yeast!)
This is my favourite sandwich bread recipe so far, which is a slightly altered version of Julia Child's White Sandwich Bread recipe.
Breadmaking for me has been less of an art and more trial and error. I've tried lots of recipes and had some really tasty ones but this is the best one I have come across for your typical sandwich bread.
So to begin ....
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
6-6 1/2 cups unbleached flour*
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1) Start by proofing your yeast. Take about 1/2 a cup of warm water in a small bowl and add the yeast and sugar. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until it is nice and foamy. (If it doesn't get foamy it means the yeast is stale, you'll need to toss it out and get some new yeast!)
2) While your yeast is standing, you can measure about approximately half of the flour into a bowl (if using a stand mixer*, use your stand mixer bowl). When the time is up on the yeast, add it and other 2 cups of water to the flour. Stir with dough hook* until well combined.
3) Now add the rest of the flour, salt and butter and mix on low speed for a few minutes or until dough is shaggy. Now up the speed to a medium level and "knead" for about 7 - 10 minutes. You will likely have to keep poking down the dough ball as it tried to escape the bowl.
4) Once you feel your dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand. The dough should feel soft and elastic-y, almost like the feel of your earlobe!!
5) Make the dough into a nice fat ball and place it back in the bowl. Put the bowl in a nice warm spot and cover with a warm damp tea towel.
6) Now to make yourself a cup of tea and relax for a little while. Your dough will need 1.5 to 2 hours to rise.
3) Now add the rest of the flour, salt and butter and mix on low speed for a few minutes or until dough is shaggy. Now up the speed to a medium level and "knead" for about 7 - 10 minutes. You will likely have to keep poking down the dough ball as it tried to escape the bowl.
4) Once you feel your dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand. The dough should feel soft and elastic-y, almost like the feel of your earlobe!!
5) Make the dough into a nice fat ball and place it back in the bowl. Put the bowl in a nice warm spot and cover with a warm damp tea towel.
6) Now to make yourself a cup of tea and relax for a little while. Your dough will need 1.5 to 2 hours to rise.
7) Before you take a peek at your lovely dough ball, butter two bread loaf pans and set aside.
8) Pull off the tea towel ... et voila!
8) Pull off the tea towel ... et voila!
9) MY FAVOURITE PART! Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sink your hands into it, doesn't that feel amazing!?! Knead the dough into a smaller ball.
10) Split the ball into two and start rolling one half into a rough rectangle, about the size of a standard piece of paper.
10) Split the ball into two and start rolling one half into a rough rectangle, about the size of a standard piece of paper.
11) Once you've got it rolled out, starting with a short end fold the bottom third of the rectangle to the middle and fold the top third over. Think of folding a letter to fit in an envelope! Place the dough, seam down in pre-buttered loaf pan and tuck in the ends. Repeat with other dough ball.
A beautiful, fluffy dough ball!!
12) Cover both pans with warm, damp tea towel and set in a warm area again for about an hour and a half or until the dough puffs out of the pan .... Perhaps its time for tea again!
13) Preheat your over to 375 degrees and bake bread for roughly half an hour. The crust will be a warm, golden-y colour when it's ready to be taken out of the oven.
14) Immediately turn both loaves out of their pans and place on a cooling rack.
Congratulations, you've just made two beautiful loaves of bread for your family! Well done!!
13) Preheat your over to 375 degrees and bake bread for roughly half an hour. The crust will be a warm, golden-y colour when it's ready to be taken out of the oven.
14) Immediately turn both loaves out of their pans and place on a cooling rack.
Congratulations, you've just made two beautiful loaves of bread for your family! Well done!!
Making bread is an amazingly liberating feeling, especially when slathered in butter and raspberry jam ... and a cup of tea!!
* A few things to note; you do not need a stand mixer to make bread. To add to the liberation of bread making just use your hands! But one thing I would recommend is that if you don't have a dough hook attachment for your stand mixer, just use your hands. Other attachments can be SUPER difficult to clean afterwards and sometimes dough can even bend and ruin your whisk. You also don't NEED unbleached flour, I just prefer it over all purpose. I've also used pastry flour for bread making but it didn't turn out quite as nice as the unbleached flour does. And finally, bread making is not an exact science, you can use as much or as little flour as suggested, its the consistence of your dough that is key! Don't become to overwhelmed when baking bread, even if the recipe doesn't turn out exactly as you'd hope, you can always toast it and dress it up with peanut butter or jam or chocolate spread. The possibilities are endless ;)
**** I will post some photos as soon as my laptop stops having it's meltdown!!
* A few things to note; you do not need a stand mixer to make bread. To add to the liberation of bread making just use your hands! But one thing I would recommend is that if you don't have a dough hook attachment for your stand mixer, just use your hands. Other attachments can be SUPER difficult to clean afterwards and sometimes dough can even bend and ruin your whisk. You also don't NEED unbleached flour, I just prefer it over all purpose. I've also used pastry flour for bread making but it didn't turn out quite as nice as the unbleached flour does. And finally, bread making is not an exact science, you can use as much or as little flour as suggested, its the consistence of your dough that is key! Don't become to overwhelmed when baking bread, even if the recipe doesn't turn out exactly as you'd hope, you can always toast it and dress it up with peanut butter or jam or chocolate spread. The possibilities are endless ;)
**** I will post some photos as soon as my laptop stops having it's meltdown!!