We were running a little low on sandwich bread last night and after a full day of work and the LONG commute home (to me), I was NOT going anywhere! I used my favorite homemade sandwich bread recipe and my handy dandy bread machine to create this loaf. I've used this recipe before! During the Blizzard of 2011 I created this terrific rainbow loaf for a bake sale. I also regularly use this recipe substituting some whole wheat flour for some of the white flour. It always turns out great and my skeptic husband, who prefers something like the Wonder Bread that he grew up eating, even took a PB&J with this soft, perfect bread! I slice mine with an electric knife once the loaf is completely cold. Remember to let it cool completely before enclosing it in a plastic bag (otherwise the steam makes it a little moist). I have found this loaf keeps about 5 days with good results and for toasting, I would say a good week or week and a half. Even though it has no preservatives, I haven't found any of my homemade bread having mold on it. If I'm not making toast or garlic bread with it, I just pop it in the freezer for using to make dressing (stuffing), bread pudding, or croutons! This is how I make homemade sandwich bread AT HOME MY WAY!
Homemade White Sandwich Bread (with picture)
1 cup warm water (hot but no hurt - should feel like hot bath water)
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon yeast (1 packet)
1/4 cup oil (vegetable oil, canola, or olive)
3 cups AP flour or bread flour (I have substituted a cup of the flour with 1 cup whole wheat flour and it makes a delicious light wheat bread)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
ā¢ In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure the very warm water (1 cup), stir in yeast and sugar, stirring well to dissolve the yeast (gently). Set a timer for 10 minutes. It will start bubbling and at the end of 10 minutes, will look like a big glass of root beer with a tall soft, frothy foam on top. Add the oil and then dump in the pan of the bread machine.
ā¢ Next add your flour and top with the salt. (I realize your bread machine may say to do this in a different order, but do it this way and you will have a perfect loaf.)
ā¢ Set your bread machine to the dough setting.
ā¢ And the end of this cycle (when it is "ready"-mine beeps), then dump the loaf into your sprayed / greased loaf pan. Kind of spread it out to fill the pan (gently stretching so that it reaches the width of the loaf pan). Spray my loaf with cooking spray so it doesn't dry out (or you could probably brush with a little melted butter). Let rise 1 hour in a warmish place (I like to use the inside of my microwave) or until it rises up out of the loaf pan by a little bit. Not huge at this point, just out of the top of the pan.
ā¢ Preheat your oven completely before putting the loaf in -to 350 degrees.
ā¢ Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
ā¢ Let it sit in the pan about 5 minutes. Then, carefully (because the loaf is so soft) take it out of the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack. Let it cool completely and then slice using an electric knife or large surrogated knife.
It makes great sandwiches, grilled cheese, peanut butter. Probably would make great hamburger and hotdog buns as well.
I baked my bread last night and sliced it this morning. Here is the finished product! Notice that terrific "crumb". Just like sandwich bread that you buy at the store! I haven't done a cost breakdown on this recipe yet, but I can bet that its a frugal choice for making homemade bread at home! Here it is sliced and ready for peanut butter:
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This is how I make my bread to and my family loves it. I sub melted butter for the oil sometimes as a special treat, and the loaf never last more then a day.
ReplyDeleteI have a great recipe for bread, softer than Wonder Bread kind of recipe, however it is not very good for sandwiches or toast of any kind, just too soft and scrumptious! Is there an ingredient I can add to make my recipe a little more dense and workable for sandwiches??
ReplyDeleteSherrie, I find that if I decrease substantially or eliminate the fat/oil/butter in a bread recipe, it makes a denser loaf. I would love to try your recipe though! Thanks!
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