OUR FAVORITE HOMEMADE SANDWICH BREAD

INGREDIENTS

2 cups warm water
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. dry active
yeast
1 tsp. salt
5½ cups all purpose
flour
2½ Tbs. butter,
softened (we’ve used
margarine, but you
will have better results
with pure butter)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take the time to proof your yeast first. In a
bowl, pour the water and the sugar. Mix
until dissolved. Add the yeast. Again, mix
until dissolved. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
When you come back it should have bubbles
formed all over the top of it. This is how
you know it’s “alive” and ready to go.
2. Next, throw in the flour and the salt. Then,
slice up the butter into smaller pieces and
add it. This just makes it easier for it to
blend when you’re mixing.
3. Now comes the fun part. Knead the
ingredients together for about 10 minutes
by hand, about 5 minutes with a mixer. You
can usually tell it’s done when it feels
slightly elastic, smooth and isn’t sticking to
anything.
4. Knead the dough into a ball and place it in
a clean bowl. Cover it with some plastic
wrap that you have sprayed with cooking
spray or rubbed with some oil. Set the bowl
in a warm place. I actually just cover mine
with two kitchen towels and put it on the
counter in the back out of the way. Allow it
to rise for one hour.
5. After an hour uncover the dough. It should
be pretty big and poofy at this point. Take
your hand and punch into it once or twice
to get it to push all the air out of it.
6. Knead it again (you don’t have to take it
out of the bowl, I do it right in the bowl) for
about a minute or so, forming it into a ball.
7. Sprinkle flour onto your table or other
wooden work surface.
8. Put the ball in the middle of the work
surface.
9. Cut the ball into two equal pieces using a
bencher, or I just use a kitchen knife.
10. Taking one half of the dough, knead it a
little folding it over itself over and over.
Create a sort of ovalish shape with it and
then place it into your lightly greased loaf
dish.
11. Now repeat everything with the second
wedge of dough.
12. Put both pans back where you had the bowl
for the first rise, but leave them uncovered.
For one hour.
13. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. When
your dough has risen the second time and
doubled in size, it’s time to put them in the
oven.
14. Just put ‘em in there for 35-40 minutes.
I’m pretty faithful with my 35 minute timing,
but it could take more in your neck of the
woods.
15. When they’re done, pull ‘em out of the oven
and allow them to sit in the pans for 5
minutes. After the 5 minutes, using a
potholder or towel, turn the bread out onto
a cooling rack and allow them to cool the
rest of the way. Since you’re aiming for
sandwich bread, it is better not to cut them
until they are completely cooled, otherwise
they get a little crumbly.
16. Once cooled, trim into slices and store at
room temperature or in the refrigerator for
up to 4 days (if it lasts that long!)