Description
This classic sandwich bread recipe produces soft, fluffy loaves with a tender crumb and golden crust, perfect for sandwiches or toast. Made with simple ingredients like bread flour, honey, butter, and yeast, it offers a slightly sweet flavor and an irresistibly soft texture. Ideal for home bakers looking to enjoy fresh, homemade bread with a light, airy structure and a rich buttery finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 6½ cups bread flour
- 3 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3 teaspoons sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups lukewarm water (may substitute with 1 cup milk and 1 cup water)
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons honey
For Preparation and Baking
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter for brushing on the bread
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing the loaf tins
Instructions
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Add the bread flour, instant yeast, and sea salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix briefly to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Knead: With the mixer running on slow speed, slowly pour in the lukewarm water followed by the honey and softened butter. Continue kneading for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth, tacky but not sticky, and starts pulling away from the bowl edges. Use oiled fingers to handle the dough if it feels sticky.
- First Rise / Bulk Fermentation: Shape the dough into a round ball and place it back into the mixing bowl. Lightly oil the surface of the dough and the bowl edges, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. This step allows yeast fermentation to develop flavor and gluten structure.
- Prepare Loaf Tins: Grease two 1lb loaf tins thoroughly with softened butter and set aside.
- Divide and Shape the Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air bubbles and transfer it onto a clean, dry surface without adding flour. Weigh the dough and divide it equally into two portions (about 670g each). Working with one piece at a time, gently flatten it into a rectangle approximately the width of the loaf tin. Roll the dough tightly from the edge closest to you, folding the sides towards the center as you continue rolling to form a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Place Dough in Loaf Tins: Place each dough log seam side down into the prepared loaf tins. Gently press the surface to release any surface bubbles.
- Second Rise / Proofing: Loosely cover the tins with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until it rises just above the edges of the tins. This shorter rise improves volume and final texture.
- Preheat Oven: While the dough is proofing, preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Bake the Bread: Remove the plastic wrap and bake the loaves for 40 to 42 minutes until the crust turns deeply golden brown. Immediately brush the tops with 1 tablespoon of melted butter (you may add honey to the butter for a sweeter finish) to keep the crust soft and enhance flavor.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bread cool in the tins for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice only when fully cooled for the best texture. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use metric measurements and weigh ingredients for best accuracy; fluff flour with a fork before measuring if no scale is available.
- The first rise (bulk fermentation) is essential for flavor development and dough structure.
- Do not add extra flour while shaping; the dough should be handled gently.
- Butter the inside of loaf tins well to prevent sticking and help with crust softness.
- The second rise (proofing) improves volume and crumb texture.
- Brushing the baked loaves with butter while warm keeps the crust tender and adds richness.
- Slice bread only once completely cool to avoid gummy texture.
- Store bread in a bread box or loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days; avoid refrigeration to prevent staling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-42 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American/European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 50g)
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: sandwich bread, homemade bread, soft bread, yeast bread, fluffy bread, easy bread recipe
