Easy sandwich bread

It was a little like déjà vu.  The scenario leading up to me trying this sandwich bread recipe was very similar to what happened when I first learned about the super-easy English muffin loaf bread recipe.

Just like last time, I was watching a show from America's Test Kitchen on PBS. The subject was an easy-to-make sandwich bread - one that's a no-knead batter bread. In essence, it was the same promise (just a different kind of bread this time) - an easy, tasty, homemade bread without a lot of time or effort.  

I might have been calmer this time, not quite as fanatic as the first time I heard of this notion of a batter bread recipe (basically, a bread dough that's mixed together like a batter without any kneading) that I could actually tackle.  All the same, I still went in search of my notepad, wrote down the recipe, and got in the kitchen within a few days to give it a try.

Just like that English muffin bread recipe, this one looked so easy and I had to see if it would pan out that way in "real" life.  Hooray...it really did!  I may not have the skills to get the top of my bread even or looking as smooth and lovely as it turns out on TV but as I went through the steps of making this bread, everything happened as it should have.

So the story with this sandwich bread recipe is simple.  The recipe relies on more water and more yeast to create a wet, sticky, batter-like dough.  Mixing happens in the stand mixer but you don't even need the dough hook, using the standard paddle attachment instead. Because of the higher than typical amount of yeast and water, you only need two short rises - about 20 minutes each - before popping it in the oven.

There really weren't any surprises and the dough behaved just the way I saw it unfold on the show.  The result was a fragrant bread with a soft texture and a nice, mild flavor.

I'm thrilled to know I can practically whip up a loaf of sandwich bread at home as long as I've got some instant yeast and basics around the house!  I may not bake my own bread regularly but whenever I do, it feels like I've managed some sort of magic trick. I'm glad so many "magicians" are willing to share their secrets with us.


Since the method/steps to making this dough are a little unusual (easy, just a little unconventional), you should definitely read through the entire recipe before starting. And there's a lot to like about this recipe.  The relatively short time investment is key, with just two 20-minute rises, before a 40-minute bake time.

Before I start, I'm always a little worried about my bread not rising enough.  In the photo above, the bread is set into a loaf pan after a first rise in the mixing bowl.  Be sure to grease your spatula to easily maneuver the wet and sticky dough.

As you can tell in this second photo, the dough did rise significantly during the second rest at room temperature.  In fact, you cover the loaf pan for the first 10-15 minutes and then remove the plastic wrap and let it finish rising another 5-10 minutes in order to prevent the dough from touching and sticking to the wrap.

I love peeking into the oven window with the light on and seeing the bread puff up and come to life.  Then, you start to smell that wonderful fresh-bread scent.  I was very happy to pull this out of the oven!

And I was possibly even more happy to see that when I sliced into the loaf - after cooling the bread completely - that I had a light, soft interior.  It was bread ready to be spread or layered with our favorite fixings.  

At the end of the day, the first thing I always want to do with homemade bread is toast it and slather a bit of salted butter onto it.

I love really crunchy toast so I tend to go a little overboard on the toasting but for a serious crunch-lover like me, homemade bread is heavenly because it makes for the crunchiest toast!  A little slather of condensed milk on top of the buttered toast would be even better.

Anyone else willing to brave the heat, crank up the oven, and bake some bread with me?

Recipe:

Easy Sandwich Bread
From America's Test Kitchen, Season 15

- Makes one 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf - 

2 cups bread flour
6 tablespoons whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
2 1/4 teaspoons (one 1/4 ounce packet) instant yeast
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for brushing the baked bread
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/4 cups water, at 120 degrees
3/4 teaspoon table salt
Egg wash (egg beaten with touch of water and small pinch of fine salt)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk the flours and yeast together.  Add melted butter, honey, and water to the bowl.  Beat on low for 1 minute to combine.  Raise speed to medium and beat for 4 minutes, scraping halfway through with a greased spatula (the dough will be relatively wet and sticky).

Thoroughly scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Dissolve salt with 2 tablespoons water.  Add salt water to dough.  Place bowl back on to the stand mixer and mix on low for 40 seconds.  Mix on medium-speed for another minute.

Again using a greased spatula, scrape the dough into a greased 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.  Nudge the dough to the edges of the pan using the spatula.  Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.  Remove plastic wrap and allow bread to rise another 5-10 minute (this way, the surface of the bread won't touch the plastic wrap).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brush the top of the bread with egg wash.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until bread has domed and reaches an internal temperature of 208-210 degrees.

Carefully remove bread from the loaf pan.  Brush the top and sides of the bread with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of melted butter (for flavor as well as to soften the crust of the bread).  Let bread cool completely before slicing.

Bread is best the day it's baked but can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.  Freeze for up to 1 month.