Easy Homemade Sandwich Bread
This recipe will yield two loaves of soft homemade bread.
Servings: 2 loaves
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water, approximately 110℉/43℃
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- 2 Tbsp white sugar, divided
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
- oil for lightly oiling a bowl for rising, about 1 teaspoon.
Instructions
- In the bowl of stand mixer, add water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast. Stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Stir remaining sugar, salt, melted butter, and 3 cups of flour into the bloomed yeast mixture.
- Using the dough hook on low speed on the stand mixer, mix in 1 more cup of flour.
- Continue to knead the dough on low speed with the dough hook, adding ¼ cup of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to medium speed and knead the dough for 4-6 minutes.
- The dough is ready to rise when it can be poked with a finger and it bounces back.
- Lightly oil a large bowl with oil or cooking spray.
- Turn dough over in the oiled bowl, coating the dough all around.
- Cover with a cotton tea towel and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Punch down dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.
- Fold dough over on itself 2-3 times.
- Cut in half and form each piece of dough into a log.
- Generously oil two 9-inch bread pans and place a dough log in each one.
- Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until the dough rises just above the bread pans.
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Bake bread in middle of oven for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway through baking.
- When done, remove from pan immediately to a wire rack to cool. If desired, brush the top of bread with melted butter.
- Let the bread cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Store the bread by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and keeping it at room temperature.