Sandwich Bread Loaf

 
I already have a few bread recipes posted, but you can never have enough, at least that is what I honestly believe.

I've had this recipe sitting around for a while and honestly hadn't even given it a thought because my usual go to loaves are the Buttermilk ones.

But I wanted something different today, and this recipe looked easy enough to try.  What I wasn't counting on was the fact that it would turn out to be darn near perfect bread.

Now I've made many loaves through the years, some have been good, some not so great, but I've always gotten a pretty good rise out of the bread.  Or at least I thought, until these happened.

They started rising like crazy in the pan before even going in the oven, and by the time they were done, they had popped up and over.  I was actually shocked at how big they got.

I'm thinking, this may just be my new favorite go to bread recipe.  Super easy to make, perfect rise, perfect texture, and the best sandwich bread you'll find.

I got the recipe from Noreen, you can find her at her blog or on Youtube.

Noreen’s Sandwich Bread Loaf

4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups Warm Water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons instant dry milk powder


Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook. 



Allow ingredients to come together in the mixing bowl.  If dough seems too dry add a tablespoon of water at a time if it seems too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough reaches the desired consistency. 

The dough should not be sticking to the bottom of the bowl.  It should move around the bowl and the hook freely.   Allow the dough to knead for 5 minutes.

Remove the dough from the bowl and oil the bowl and return the dough and oil the dough as well.  

Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for at least 1 hour or until double in size. Deflate the dough gently and turn it out onto a board without additional flour.

Press into a rectangle that is slightly smaller on the short side than your bread pan.  Roll the dough into a log, keeping the spiral tight.

Pinch the seam together and push each end into itself and pull the bottom layer up over each end and pinch to close.

Place loaf into an oiled bread pan and cover. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Allow to rise for an additional 30 to 45 minutes until the dough has double and/or crowned to at least 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and when tapped, the loaf sounds hollow inside. 

Remove from oven and immediately remove bread from the pan. Allow to cool on a baking rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. 

Bread will slice much better once it has cooled completely.