My previous sandwich breads,using recipes from bread experts, were good. However, Sally’s recipe, followed exactly as written, beats them all.

I made the bread this morning timing it to be ready for lunch. It was, but was still a little warm. Undaunted, I carefully cut four slices (it was very tender) and proceeded to make two sandwiches. The bread was so tender we each needed two hands to eat our lunches. Although the crumb was tender there was a nice crust, not a strong crust as is my typical artisan bread, but better than most other sandwich loaves.

Sandwich Bread – Sally

INGREDIENTS
• 240g (1 c) water, warmed to about 110°F
• 60g ( ¼ c) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F
• 7g (2 ¼ tsp) yeast
• 25g (2 Tbl) granulated sugar
• 56g ( ¼ c) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 9g (1 ½ tsp) salt
• 420–430g (3 ⅓ c) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed

METHOD

1. Whisk the warm water, warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter, salt, and 1 cup flour. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add another cup of flour. Beat on medium speed until relatively incorporated (there may still be chunks of butter). Add the remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes.
3. Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5–8 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 full minutes.
4. 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter.
5. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
6. Shape the bread: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Lightly flour a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 8×15 inches. Roll into an 8 inch log and place in the greased loaf pan.
7. 2nd Rise: Cover shaped loaf with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until it’s about 1 inch above the top of the loaf pan, about 1 hour.
8. Adjust oven rack to a lower position and preheat oven to 350°F.
9. Bake the bread: Bake for 32-36 minutes or until golden brown on top. If you notice the top browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. (I usually add aluminum foil over the loaf around the 20 minute mark.) To test for doneness, if you gently tap on the loaf, it should sound hollow. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195–200°F.
10. Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for a few minutes in the pan on a cooling rack before removing the bread from the pan and slicing. Feel free to let it cool completely before slicing, too.
11. Cover leftover bread tightly and store at room temperature for 6 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Notes

1. Freezing Instructions: Prepare recipe through step 6. Place shaped loaf in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan or disposable loaf pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. On the day you serve it, let the loaf thaw and rise for about 4-5 hours at room temperature. Bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked bread loaf. Allow the bread to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired.
2. Overnight Instructions: Prepare the recipe through step 6. Cover the shaped bread tightly and refrigerate for up to about 15 hours. At least 3 hours before you need the bread the next day, remove from the refrigerator, keep covered, and allow to rise on the counter for about 1-2 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can let the dough have its 1st rise in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the dough tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and allow the dough to fully rise for 2 more hours. Continue with step 5