Description
A suggested soft milk-and-butter sandwich loaf mixed by spoon, strengthened with one brief fold, and baked in a loaf pan.
Yield: 1 loaf, approximately 12 slices
Prep: 15–20 minutes active
First rise: 1½–2½ hours
Second rise: 45–75 minutes
Bake: 35–40 minutes
Cool: At least 1–1½ hours
Total: Approximately 4–6 hours
Oven: 350°F
Pan: 9 × 5 inches
Ingredients
Scale
- 3½ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons fine salt
- 1 cup lukewarm milk
- ½ cup lukewarm water, divided; reserve 2 tablespoons initially
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon melted butter for the baked top, optional
Instructions
- Stir flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add milk, 6 tablespoons water, and melted, cooled butter. Mix for 2–3 minutes until no dry flour remains. Add reserved water gradually only if needed for a very soft, tacky dough.
- Cover and rest 30 minutes. With damp or lightly oiled fingers, fold the dough toward the center from three or four sides. Cover again.
- Let rise until approximately doubled, usually another 1–2 hours, depending on temperature.
- Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently pat into a rectangle, and roll into a log. Place seam-side down in the pan.
- Cover loosely and rise approximately 45–75 minutes, until puffy and crowned about ½–1 inch above the rim. Preheat the oven to 350°F before proofing finishes.
- Bake approximately 35–40 minutes, until golden and set, with a center temperature around 195–200°F. Tent with foil if browning early.
- Rest 5–10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack. Brush with optional finishing butter and cool completely before slicing.
Storage: Keep cooled bread airtight for 2–3 days in a cool, dry place, or freeze sliced bread for up to 2–3 months for best quality.
Little tip: Use the dough’s softness and visible rise as your guides. Extra flour and rushed proofing are two of the easiest ways to lose the tender texture you want in sandwich bread.