Classic Sandwich Bread
For sandwiches, toast, and French toast, you just can’t beat a classic American sandwich loaf, with its creamy-white interior, golden crust, and soft, easily sliceable texture.
3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
1/2 cup milk (skim, 1%, 2% or whole, your choice)**
1/2 to 2/3 cup hot water, enough to make a soft, smooth dough**
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water OR 2 teaspoons instant yeast
*For added whole-grain goodness, substitute great-tasting King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour for up to half of the all-purpose flour in this recipe.
**Mix the cold-from-the-refrigerator milk with 1/2 cup of the hot-from-the-tap water to make a lukewarm combination.
Mixing: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine set to the dough or manual cycle). Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes, until it’s domed about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.
Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 35 minutes, until it’s light golden brown. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or by measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Yield: 1 loaf.
Reviews
02/01/2009
This recipe came out great. The texture was hearty and it was very easy to slice. Much better flavor than anything from the supermarket. Makes great toast too. Easy for beginners.
01/29/2009
I have made this bread in the last month and a half on an average of 3 a week. IT IS SPECTACULAR! We love it Can this recipe be substituted using the dry milk? if so , would you please tell me how ? Thanks again for your help.
Sure, you can use dry milk with this recipe. Just substitute 2 tablespoons of dry milk and 1/2 cup of water for the milk. Molly@KAF
01/15/2009
This produces a prefect loaf of sandwich bread - and is really easy to keep the ingredients on hand for!
12/25/2008
For all the grief we Americans take for our "undistinguished" bread, this is one we can truly be proud of! Simple and to-the-point; moist; slices well; makes great toast. My instinct said to knead it more than the recipe indicated, and I think it was a good idea. It all came together beautifully. Absolutely use the flour blend of KA All-Purpose and KA White Whole Wheat. In addition to the taste, the color is out of this world.
02/16/2009
I have made this twice now with great results. Wonderful color and texture! Just made it this time using 1 cup of whole wheat like they suggested with the same great results. Also used 2 T dry milk and additional 1/2 water. Just put the dry milk in with the dry ingreds and use 1 cup water.
02/21/2009
I'm a VERY novice baker, but this recipe has served me well. This is my third time using this recipe, and each time it gets better and better. My first two were edible, but not perfect. I've realized that the mistakes were all my own, being impatient, and trying to learn the right techniques. But, my persistence has paid off, and this loaf has turned out perfect. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
02/24/2009
This is a great recipe to play with. I've made it with 50% white, 25% whole wheat, 25% rye flour and I also made a loaf with 50% white and 50% spelt and about 1/4 cup of toasted bran. Both loafs were excellent. This bread stays fresh for several days and this recipe is so easy - it just doesn't seem right to buy bread when you can make this!
03/22/2009
I've been using this recipe for almost 2 months now. My husband doesn't give a hoot about homemade or store bought bread, and he comes running when he smells this cooking! He can't stand the wait while it cools. This recipe gets better the more I make it (I've made about 14 loaves) and it makes excellent rolls or hamburger buns as well. It's a nice cross between a sweet bread and a sandwich loaf. My oven is old and heats unevenly (35 degree difference between front and rear) and this bread holds up wonderfully, is almost impossible to make a mistake.
04/30/2009
I make a loaf of this bread every week instead of buying loaf bread. I've made it by hand; I've made it with my electric mixer; I regularly substitute KA bread flour instead of AP; I've mixed two different kinds of flour when I've run out. It turns out well every time (unless you accidentally turn off your oven halfway through baking . . . don't ask). I'd never made yeast bread before this recipe, but now I'm a believer. And I think using instant yeast is easier than the other kind (less mess and forethought required).
09/15/2009
This recipe is easy to follow and hard to fail. My family and friends love it so much. Sometimes I add raisin to the dough and it has become kids' favorite!
Bookmark/share
this recipe