By: Henry Hunter

Introduction

Welcome, home bakers! Today, I’ll be guiding you through a staple recipe in every baker’s repertoire—white sandwich bread. This isn’t your ordinary, run-of-the-mill bread, though. This is a meticulously crafted masterpiece, a testament to the simple, wholesome magic of bread baking.

What sets this recipe apart is the pre-ferment, a technique that lends a depth of flavor to the final product, a subtle complexity that distinguishes artisan bread from the average loaf. This approach might seem like it adds extra work, but trust me, the stunning results are worth every minute. And besides, half the fun of baking bread lies in the process itself, in the tactile pleasure of creating something so humble yet so profound, entirely from scratch.

This recipe has been a favorite of mine for years, and I’m thrilled to share it with you today. By following these step-by-step instructions, even beginners can turn out a loaf of bread that’s soft and tender, perfect for sandwiches or just to enjoy with a slather of butter.

To all the seasoned bakers, I’ve also included a variant to make this bread with 20% whole wheat flour. And for those who dread the sticky pre-ferment handling, I’ve got a handy trick to help you out.

So, roll up your sleeves and prepare to immerse yourself in the time-honored tradition of bread baking. Let’s create something truly special! 🥖👨‍🍳

This delicious homemade white sandwich bread, complete with a pre-ferment, is bound to outshine any store-bought variant. Here’s the step-by-step guide.

Ingredients:

For the Pre-Ferment (Starter):

• 235 grams (1 3/4 cups) unbleached bread flour
• 1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast
• 5 grams (1 1/4 teaspoons) salt
• 150 grams (2/3 cup) cold filtered water

For the White Sandwich Bread:

• 715 grams (5 1/2 cups) unbleached bread flour
• 65 grams (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 7 grams (2 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 15 grams (3 3/4 teaspoons) kosher salt
• 40 grams (3 tablespoons) granulated white sugar
• 75 grams (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 480 grams (2 cups) cold filtered water
• 40 grams (1/2 cup) dried milk powder

Instructions:

1. Making the Pre-Ferment: In a medium-sized bowl, combine 235 grams bread flour, 1 gram yeast, and 5 grams salt. Make a well in the center and add 150 grams cold filtered water. Mix until all flour is moistened. Move the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, flip once to coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit
2. at room temperature for one hour. Then, refrigerate for about 12 hours.

1. Preparing the Bread Dough: In a large bowl, combine 715 grams bread flour, 65 grams all-purpose flour, 7 grams yeast, 15 grams salt, 40 grams sugar, and 40 grams dried milk powder.
2. Incorporating the Pre-Ferment: Remove the pre-ferment from the refrigerator, cut into small chunks, and add these along with 480 grams of cold water into your mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
3. Kneading the Dough: Knead the dough on 1st speed for five minutes. Increase to 2nd speed and continue to knead for another 4-6 minutes until the dough cleans the bowl and becomes smooth, elastic, and minimally sticky. Add 75 grams of room-temperature butter and continue to knead at 2nd speed for another three to five minutes.
4. First Rise: Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled large bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until it almost doubles, approximately for 1 hour.
5. Shaping the Dough: Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into two equal-sized pieces. Shape each piece into a round and let them rest at room temperature for 25-30 minutes. Then, form each round into a rectangle, fold lengthwise into thirds, and then roll into a log shape. Place the dough logs into two lightly greased loaf pans.
6. Second Rise: Cover each pan with lightly floured plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours until the dough almost doubles in size. It should rise above the rim of your loaf pan.
7. Baking the Bread: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). For a crustier loaf, place a cast iron frying pan on the oven floor and add 3-4 ice cubes right before baking. Bake the loaves for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the pans halfway through for even baking.

1. Cooling and Storage: Allow the loaves to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes after baking. Then, remove them from the pans, placing top side up on the wire rack. For a softer crust, brush the tops with melted butter. Let them cool completely before serving. The bread can be stored in an airtight bag for up to three days or frozen for a couple of months.
2. Makes 2 loaves of delicious White Sandwich Bread. Enjoy!
3. Note: For a 20% whole wheat variant, substitute 190 grams of the bread flour with whole wheat flour in both the pre-ferment and bread dough.
4. Pro Tip: To handle the pre-ferment neatly, spray a sandwich Ziploc bag with nonstick spray, put the dough inside, and press out all the air. When ready to use, open the bag, tear down the seams, and cut it with a bench knife, dropping it into your mixing bowl in pieces. This way, you don’t have to touch the sticky dough!
5. Happy baking! 🥖👨‍🍳
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