Print

Your Guide to Perfect Homemade Loaves Recipe

Your Guide to Perfect Homemade Loaves Recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5.3 from 25 reviews

This Soft and Fluffy Sandwich Bread recipe guides you through making perfect homemade loaves that are tender, light, and delicious. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you’ll create bakery-quality bread ideal for sandwiches and toast.

Ingredients

Scale

Liquid Ingredients

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup honey

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons yeast
  • 5 1/2 – 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, mix the warm water, salt, honey, and melted butter until well combined and the salt begins to dissolve.
  2. Add Initial Flour: Stir in 4 cups of the all purpose flour to the mixture.
  3. Add Yeast: Sprinkle in the yeast and stir to incorporate evenly.
  4. Add More Flour: Add 1 1/2 cups more flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Keep the last cup of flour for kneading. The dough should look shaggy, feel loose, and pull away easily from the sides of the bowl. It should not be overly sticky.
  5. Turn Out Dough and Knead: On a clean, floured surface, turn out the dough. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead at medium speed for 6-8 minutes, adding reserved flour as needed to prevent sticking. When kneading by hand, continue for 8-10 minutes, also adding flour as necessary to keep the dough manageable.
  6. Let Dough Rise: Warm your oven to about 100°F, then turn it off. Place the dough in a greased bowl and set it inside the warm oven. This warm, draft-free environment speeds up the rising process. Check periodically until the dough doubles in size.
  7. Prepare Baking Pans: Grease two baking pans with cooking spray or oil while the dough is rising.
  8. Shape the Bread: Once doubled, turn the dough onto a floured surface, divide in half, and shape each piece into a loaf.
  9. Second Rise: Place the shaped dough loaves back into the warmed oven. Let rise again until the dough starts to rise above the rims of the pans.
  10. Preheat Oven and Bake: Remove loaves from the oven and preheat it to 350°F. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches approximately 180°F.
  11. Finish and Cool: Optionally, rub butter over the hot bread tops for extra flavor and softness. Allow the loaves to cool before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Use warm water around 110°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
  • The amount of flour can vary slightly depending on humidity and flour brand; add gradually during kneading to achieve the perfect dough consistency.
  • The first rise can take about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on temperature.
  • For best results, check bread doneness with a thermometer rather than time alone.
  • Butter can be omitted or substituted with oil to reduce saturated fat.
  • This bread freezes well; slice before freezing for convenient thawing and use.

Nutrition

Keywords: homemade bread, sandwich bread, soft bread, fluffy bread, yeast bread, baking bread at home

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/your-guide-to-perfect-homemade-loaves-recipe/