Basic White Sandwich Bread

INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup milk (any kind)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,
divided
Neutral-tasting oil, such as canola
Cooking spray (optional)
EQUIPMENT
Stand mixer with paddle attachment,
or large bowl
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Plastic wrap or kitchen towel
2 (8 by 4-inch) loaf pans
Serrated knife
Wire racks
INSTRUCTIONS
Proof the yeast. Make sure the water

is warm to the touch. If you can’t com-
fortably hold your finger in the water

for several seconds, wait for it to cool.
Pour the water into the bowl of a stand
mixer or large bowl and sprinkle the
yeast over top. Let stand for 5 minutes
until the yeast is dissolved.
Start the dough. Place the milk,
butter, sugar, and salt in a medium
bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to
the bowl with the yeast, add 1 cup of
the flour, and stir until it forms a loose,
lumpy batter.
Add the flour. Add 4 1/2 cups of the
flour, reserving the remaining cup if
the dough is sticky during kneading.
Stir until a floury, shaggy dough is
formed.

Knead the dough. Using the dough
hook attachment on a stand mixer on
medium speed, knead the dough for
8 to 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead
the dough by hand on the counter.) If
the dough is bubble-gum sticky against
the sides of the bowl or the counter,
add extra flour a tablespoon at a time
until it is no longer sticky. The dough is
kneaded and ready when it is smooth,
feels slightly tacky, forms a ball without
sagging, and springs back when poked.
Do the first rise. Remove the dough
from the stand mixer bowl. Clean and
dry the mixing bowl. Coat with a thin
film of oil. Form the dough into a ball,
place it in the bowl, and turn it to coat
all over with oil. Cover the bowl with

plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let
the rise in a warm spot until doubled in
volume, about 1 hour.
Shape the dough. Sprinkle a little
flour on a work surface and place the
dough on top. Divide the dough into
2 equal pieces and shape each piece
into a loose ball. Let the balls rest for 10
minutes.
Do the second rise in the loaf pans.
Grease 2 (8 by 4-inch) loaf pans with
oil or coat them with cooking spray.
Shape each ball of dough into a loaf

(see Recipe Notes below for instruc-
tions or this tutorial for photos) and

transfer to the loaf pans. It’s impor-
tant that the surface of the loaves be

stretched taut; this helps them rise and

prevents an overly-dense interior. Let
the loaves rise a second time until they
start to dome over the edge of the pan,
30 to 40 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange a
rack in the middle of the oven, remove
any racks above it, and heat the oven
to 425°F about halfway through the
second rise.
Slash the loaves and bake. Using a
serrated knife, make a long, shallow
slash down the center of each loaf.
Place them in the oven. Immediately
turn down the heat to 375°F and bake
30 to 35 minutes. Finished loaves will
be dark golden-brown and sound
hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Remove the loaves from the pans onto

wire racks and let cool completely
before slicing.
RECIPE NOTES
Storage: Loaves wrapped in foil and
plastic will keep at room temperature
for several days or freeze for up to 3
months.
How to Form Loaves

1. Flatten into a rectangle. Use the
   heels of your hands to gently flatten
   the round into a rough rectangle. If the

dough is sticking to the counter, sprin-
kle a little flour underneath. Try not

to use too much flour, though, or else
you’ll have trouble getting the dough
to stick to itself once you shape 2. Fold
the bottom third up. This part is like
folding a letter! Fold the bottom third
of the dough over on itself.

1. Fold the top third down. Then fold
   the top of the dough down so that it
   overlaps the other layers.
2. Pinch closed. Use your fingers to
   pinch the dough closed where the top
   layer meets the bottom layers. Don’t
   forget the sides!
3. Fold the dough again. The goal
   is to get the surface of the loaf as taut
   as possible. This will help the loaf rise
   evenly and keep its shape. If your loaf
   still seems a little loose after the initial
   folding, just fold it in half again and
   pinch it closed. We do this by pressing
   the middle down and drawing up the
   sides.
4. Invert the loaf into the pan. Roll the
   loaf over until the seam is facing down
   and then gently place the loaf into the

pan. The seams should be on the bot-
tom with the tight surface facing up.