a classic white bread spinoff
I’ve been struggling with baking a semi-whole wheat bread for a while, so I decided to try this white bread instead. Whole wheat flour takes longer to absorb water, so it is more difficult to get it to rise. However, this sandwich bread is incredibly easy to make, and you can make it in your stand mixer — no hand kneading required!
The recipe, adapted from Joshua Weissman’s, is simple and easy to follow. You’ll have homemade sandwich bread baking in your oven in no time! The addition of butter and milk makes this bread a little more than a classic white bread. It rises wonderfully and after being baked, its crust is a beautiful tan brown. Instead of using plastic wrap to cover the dough as it rose in the loaf pan, or use a second inverted pan, I used a cake container cover! It’s the perfect way to create a sealed environment for your loaf without using plastic wrap, which is not recyclable.
Another sustainable hack I use during baking is when a recipe asks you to use plastic wrap to cover a bowl, just use a large plate instead. The plate will seal the bowl without creating extra plastic waste! This is just a simple step you can take to reduce your waste and help our planet.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup or 174g water
- 1/2 cup or 125g whole milk
- 1 packet or 7 grams active dry yeast
- 3 cups or 440g bread flour
- 1.5 teaspoons or 8g fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon or 21g granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons salted butter softened, plus extra
Directions:
- Combine the water and milk, then bring mixture to 98F by microwaving for about 1 minute. Whisk in the yeast and let it bloom, covered with a plate, for 10 minutes or until bubbly.
- Whisk flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Once yeast is bloomed, slowly add to dry ingredients while the mixer is running on low speed. Use a dough hook.
- Mix until combined, then an additional 2 min.
- Add 1 tbsp butter at a time while mixer is running, then mix for an additional 30 seconds
- With greased hands, shape the dough into a taut ball, then rest in greased and covered bowl 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
- Butter the loaf pan and line with parchment.
- De-gas the dough by punching it down, then shape it into a large rectangle. Roll it up then tuck in the sides to shape it into a loaf, then place in the pan.
- Brush the dough with an egg wash or butter to prevent it from forming a skin.
- Proof for at least 1 hour, or until doubled.
- Bake 350F for 35 min, or until golden brown.
- Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to continue cooling. Enjoy!
