Once in a while, I’ll go through a phase where I want to make every type of bread under the sun. A few weeks ago, I had one of those days. Over the course of two days, I made 8 different kinds of bread. Phew, it was exhausting. But so satisfying. I put just about all of it in the freezer. I mean, I love bread, but I can’t eat that much bread!
One batch of bread I made, was this amazing sandwich bread. I’ve made it a few times, but just haven’t gotten around to sharing it with you all. I don’t make a lot, mostly because it uses a LOT of flour, but it gives you one heck of a rise. I mean, look at the size of that loaf! Perfection. It definitely is a satisfying bread to make. And, it’s delicious to boot. It makes a perfect vessel for any type of sandwich you could dream of. Or some butter slathered over a toasted slice is just as satisfying. This bread is pretty straight forward, so beginners, don’t be afraid! That is a great bread recipe to start with.
Recipe adapted from The Curvy Carrot via Annie’s Eats
Wheat Sandwich Bread
This will become your go-to sandwich bread. This recipe yields tall, beautiful loaves that are full of simple flavor and a tender crumb.
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 teaspoons instant (rapid rise) yeast
- 3/4 cup plus 2 2/3 cup warm water, divided (105-115˚ F)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups bread flour
- 4-5 cups white whole wheat flour
Instructions
- To make the dough, combine the yeast and 3/4 cup of warm water in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir in the honey, salt, remaining 2 2/3 cups water, butter, and the bread flour. Mix, on low speed, until the dough begins to come together. Gradually add in the white whole wheat flour about 1/2-1 cup at a time, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Continue to knead about 6-8 minutes, until a smooth ball has formed.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, turning once to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the dough has nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently punch down to deflate the dough. Divide into two equal portions. Press one portion of dough into a rectangle, about 9 x 15 inches. Starting on a short end, roll the dough up tightly into a log and pinch the seam shut. Tuck the ends under the loaf. Transfer to a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and press down gently to reach the sides of the pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cover the pans loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise once more until nearly doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
- Place an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Once the oven has preheated, place the loaves in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans 180º and continue baking until an instant read thermometer reads 190ºF in the center of the loaf, about 15-18 minutes more. Transfer the pans to wire racks to cool. Let cool briefly, then turn the loaves out onto the racks. Let cool completely before slicing.
