About this recipe
I am so proud to share this recipe with you! It's amazing. More importantly, my kids think it's amazing. This bread is everything you need a sandwich loaf to be - soft like store-bought, strong enough for peanut butter, and delicious!
SUPER IMPORTANT: Do not skip the autolyse! That 30-45 minutes of rest gives the bran time to hydrate and the gluten time to organize itself, resulting in a better rise, easier handling, and a more tender crumb. Trust the science on this one!
Ingredients
- 450 g (3¾ cups) stone-ground, sifted Turkey Red flour
- 305 g (1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon) warm water (95–105°F)
- 1 large egg (about 50 g)
- 4 g (1 teaspoon) instant yeast
- 9 g (1½ teaspoons) fine sea salt
- 21 g (1 tablespoon) honey
- 28 g (2 tablespoons) olive oil
Directions
- Autolyse: In a large bowl, combine flour, warm water, and egg. Mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy and rough. Cover and let rest for 30–45 minutes.
- Add Remaining Ingredients. Add yeast, salt, honey, and olive oil. Mix until fully incorporated. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and cohesive - 6–8 minutes by hand or 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- First Rise. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until approximately doubled in volume, about 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature. The dough should feel airy and spring back slowly when lightly pressed.
- Shape. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press into a rectangle about as wide as your loaf pan. Fold the top third toward the center and the bottom third over it, like folding a letter. Roll tightly into a log, pinching the seam closed. Place seam-side down in a greased 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.
- Final Proof. Cover loosely with a towel and allow the loaf to rise until the center of the dough is approximately ¾–1 inch above the rim of the pan. The dough should look puffy and feel light when gently touched. Avoid letting it rise much higher than this.
- Bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake uncovered for 38–42 minutes. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil during the final 10–15 minutes. The loaf is done when the crust is a rich golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200–205°F.
- Cool. Remove the loaf from the pan immediately after baking. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
