Description
A mildly sweet, buttery yeast loaf for sandwiches, toast, and French toast.
Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
Pan: 9 × 5 inches
Prep: 20–25 minutes
Rising: 1½–2½ hours
Baking: 30–40 minutes
Cooling: 1–1½ hours
Total: About 3–4¾ hours
Ingredients
Scale
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup milk, warmed to 105–110°F
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- Butter or oil, for greasing
- 1 tablespoon milk, optional, for brushing before baking
- 1 tablespoon melted butter, optional, for finishing
Instructions
- Combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk, egg, and melted butter. Stir into a shaggy dough.
- Knead by hand for about 8–12 minutes or with a dough hook for about 5–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Keep the dough soft and slightly tacky; add extra flour only sparingly.
- Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise until roughly doubled, about 60–90 minutes or longer in a cool room.
- Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan. Gently press the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide. Roll into a snug log, pinch the seam, and place seam-side down in the pan.
- Cover loosely and let rise for about 30–60 minutes, until puffy and near or a little above the rim. A gentle indentation should recover slowly and partly. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brush lightly with milk if desired. Bake for about 30–40 minutes, checking from 28–30 minutes, until golden and the center reaches approximately 190–200°F. Tent with foil if needed.
- Rest in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Brush with melted butter if desired. Cool for about 1–1½ hours, until no longer warm in the center, before slicing.
Storage: Keep the cooled, plain loaf airtight at room temperature for about 2–3 days, or freeze slices for up to 2–3 months for best quality.
Estimated nutrition: About 180–205 calories per slice at 12 slices, including optional finishes. Brands and portion sizes vary.
Recipe note: Instant yeast does not require separate activation. If checking it in milk first, use the measured milk, yeast, and sugar only once. Rise according to the dough’s appearance rather than the clock.