Our Daily Bread - Homestyle White Sandwich Bread

Tender light sandwich bread, brioche adjacent in flavor.

Our Daily Bread - Homestyle White Sandwich Bread

Makes 1 – 9x5 in (23x12.75 cm)

Though my grandmother lived until I was fifteen or so, I never really knew her because she had Alzheimer’s. However, I do know from my mom and aunts that she was a great baker and cook. Whenever I baked, the greatest compliment from my family, especially when making one of my grandmother’s recipes was, “this tastes just like mommy’s,” it was what I considered a mark of excellence.

The inspiration for this sandwich bread came from imagining if my grandmother were to bake a loaf of bread how would it taste? Then I wondered what she would do if she used modern techniques to make that same loaf, this is what I came up with. The enriched dough is a little sweet from sugar with a rich flavor of dairy from the milk and eggs she would have added for flavor and nutrients. While rich, the bread is not heavy. I can see it being left on the counter in my grandmas’ house for any of her children to slice and snack on as is, throw in the toaster and lather with butter and jelly or make a quick grilled cheese out of.

This is the first bread using the scald/cold fermentation method which results in a flavorful loaf that is squishy yet sturdy at the same time. The flavor is brioche adjacent but light rather than cakey and stays fresh all week from the increased liquid added in the scald.

“Recipe Tips:

1. Cool the scald completely before using.

2. Always cool a loaf of bread completely before slicing for the best texture, flavor and to slow staling.”

Ingredients

Scald

100g (0.75 c + 1 t) bread flour

20g (4 t) sugar

7g (1.75 t) kosher salt

150ml (0.75 c) milk

125ml (0.50 c + 5 t) water

28g (2 T) butter 

Dough

1 large egg

4g (1 t) instant yeast

325g (2.5 c) bread flour

Method

Scald

1.      In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients.

2.      In a small pot over medium-high, heat the milk, water and butter until the butter is fully melted and the liquid is just under a boil.

• Immediately pour over the dry ingredients and stir to combine with a heatproof spatula.

A few bubbles around the edges of the liquid shows that it is heated properly.

Try not to let the mixture boil as the sweetness of the milk does not come through as well if brought to a full boil.

Additionally boiling the liquids for too long will cause evaporation which will throw off the hydration of the dough.

• Cover and cool completely.

Dough

3.      Add the yeast and egg to the cooled scald.

• Mix until well combined.

The mixture will look separated but continue to mix until smooth.

• Add the remaining flour and mix until no dry flour remains adding 5ml (1 t) of water as necessary to form a dough.

• Place the dough onto an unfloured work surface and knead for 5 minutes scraping the work surface and your hands with a bench scraper regularly.

The dough may be a little sticky but try not to add any additional flour.

• Form the dough into a ball and return to the bowl.

• Cover and ferment for 30 minutes.

• Fold.

To fold: wet your dominant hand and loosen the dough from the bowl flipping the ball of dough over. Press out the dough to even out its thickness. Grab a grip of dough across from you, lift and stretch the dough out a few inches then fold it over the center. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this process, wetting your hand as necessary to prevent sticking, until you reach the point where you began. The dough should have formed a ball at this point. Flip the ball again, placing the “seams” of the dough on the bottom and tuck the dough together to make a ball.

Do not add flour during the folding.

• Cover and ferment 30 minutes longer.

• Repeat the fold.

• Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4.      Line a loaf pan with parchment if necessary.

My loaf pan is great but sometimes causes sticking. To prevent this I always line it.

5.      Lightly flour the top of the dough and the work surface.

• Use a bench scraper to release the dough from the bowl and remove to the work surface leaving the unfloured surface (the side that was touching the bowl) on top.

• Using a rolling pin roll out the dough into a large rough rectangle with the long sides across and facing you.

• Using the loaf pan as a guide, place it horizontally at the top of the dough across from you. Bring in the left and right sides to match the length of the pan and roll slightly to ensure stickage.

Because the dough is cold, it may seem stiff while trying to shape but as long as the dough is not tearing, it will work out well.

• Fold the corners across from you into a point then roll down tightly, bringing in the sides as necessary and sealing the seam at the bottom well.

• Place the log seam side down into the prepared loaf pan and press gently to fill the pan.

• Cover loosely and proof for 1 – 2 hours or until the dough has risen 2.5 – 4 cm (1 – 1.5 in) above the rim of the pan.

This may take longer (depending on the temperature of your room) because the dough is cold from the fridge.

What is most important is that the dough rises above the rim of the pan as written.

6.      Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F.

• Bake for 5 minutes.

• Reduce to 180 C / 350 F.

• Bake 25 – 30 minutes longer.

After 25 minutes, carefully test the loaf with an instant read thermometer stuck into the side into the middle of the loaf.

The bread should register 94 C / 200 F.

If not ready, allow to cook longer, checking again in 5 - 7 minutes.

If the dough is browning too much, tent loosely with foil.

• Remove to a cooling rack and cool in the pan for 5 minutes.

• Remove from the pan and cool completely.

7.      Slice and serve.