Everyday Sandwich Bread
Twist open a jar of your homemade strawberry rhubarb jam and spread it on while the bread is warm.
Ingredients
First Step
- 1½ cups warm 105–115℉ water
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
Second Step
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt, (I use Himalayan, French or Kosher Salt)
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
Instructions
Step One
- Pour the water into a very large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Add the yeast, honey, and 2½ cups of the flour, and mix to combine. This will almost look like pancake batter. Thick but not like bread dough. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes in a warm area.
Step Two
- Add the additional 2 ½ cups flour, salt, honey and melted butter. Stir to combine. You will want the dough to start to come together where it doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl. If you need to add small amounts of flour until you see this happening, do so a couple Tbsp at a time. Turn dough onto floured surface, sprinkle dough with flour and knead by hand for 5 minutes. You may need to add additional flour if you feel it is sticking to the table. The dough will start to come together and you will feel it is a nice, soft, smooth dough.
- Spray a bowl with cooking spray or grease the bowl with butter. Add the kneaded dough, flipping twice to cover the dough with the spray or butter from the bowl. Cover dough in the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray so when the dough rises it doesn’t stick to your plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Step Three
- Generously grease 2 9x5 inch loaf pans and set aside. Punch down bread dough, turn out onto a slightly floured surface. Cut in half and knead a few times, shape into a loaf. Place dough into the prepared greased loaf pans. Cover with the sprayed plastic wrap piece from before and let raise for 30 to 40 minutes. During this time, preheat your oven to 350℉. The dough is ready to bake when you press down slightly with your finger and the indentation remains.
- Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes. Immediately remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. Butter the tops of the bread using a pastry brush. Cool and enjoy! Or if you are like my family, enjoy warm with cold butter and jam!
Notes
(Adapted from the Food Nanny) recipe courtesy of Shannon Thomasser.
You can freeze the bread loaves. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in a plastic freezer bag. Can store for up to two months.
Variation: To make cinnamon bread, roll out each section and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar as desired. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of water over the dough and roll lengthwise. Place in a greased bread pan. Let rise and bake as above.
If you don’t have a heavy-duty mixer, simply knead the bread by hand, that is what I do. No need for the mixer if you don’t want to use it.
I also make this using Kamut flour. If using Kamut flour, you use 2 cups in step one and 1 ½ to 2 cups in step two. Flour as needed while you knead. Depends on weather, your kitchen, and the feel of the dough as you knead it.
Nutrition
Calories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 162mgPotassium: 26mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 23IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg
Go back to the recipe by scanning this QR code:
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
Tried this recipe?Mention @RandomSweets and tag #OurSweetMidwestLife