{31 Days} Cooking from Scratch: Sandwich Bread

Today is the day…. making sandwich bread from scratch.

You can do it!
Be bold.
Don’t let yeast intimidate you. 

This sandwich bread is what’s on the other side – and it’s perfect for lunches for your kiddos, or for you too!

Top 5 Tips for Making Bread from Scratch

(1) Follow these simple yeast tips

(2) Don’t worry too much about the shape of the loaf – practice will lead to better looking loaves. {see my earlier photos as evidence of this}

(3) Have a loaf pan (or two) that is roughly 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches.

(4) Plan for time … you’ll need about 3 hours from start to finish

(5) If you have one, use your bread machine to make the dough – bake the bread in your oven. 

Our Favorite Bread Recipes

Simple Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe

This is the bread I grew up eating as a child.  I have fond memories of the delicious smell of fresh-baked bread wafting through my parents’ rambler.  Lovely.  The bread makes a wonderful breakfast bread – delicious with toast & jam, a great sandwich bread, and goes great with that pot of soup for dinner. 

Mom’s Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread – Makes 2 loaves
{Note: If using a “Classic” Kitchen Aid Mixer to make dough, half the recipe!}

Ingredients

• 4 C white whole wheat flour
• 3 C whole wheat flour (or more white whole wheat)
• 3 tsp. salt
• 1/3 C honey
• 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (1 pkg instant yeast)
• 2 3/4 C warm water (120 degrees F)
• 1/4 C olive oil
• {Optional: 1/4 C vital wheat gluten}

Directions

Begin by mixing the 2 3/4 C warm water (120 degrees F – check temperature with a meat thermometer), and 2 1/4 tsp. yeast together in a large bowl.  I typically do this in the bowl of my kitchen aid mixer, but you can also do it in a measuring cup. 

Allow the yeast and warm water to sit for 2-3 minutes.  During the time the yeast should start smelling “yeasty” and bubbles should begin to form.  If not – wait about 5 minutes.  If you still aren’t seeing this reaction take place, dump the yeast & water and start again. 

Next, you’ll add the goods that feed the yeast and help it metabolize so that it can produce carbon dioxide which helps your bread rise.  To do so, sugar, salt and fat are essential. 

Add in 1/4 C olive oil, 1/3 C honey (make sure you spray the measuring cup for easy honey removal), and 3 tsp. salt. 

Slowly, now – 1 C of flour at at time, add in the flour (totaling 7 C) while you, or your stand mixer stirs the dough using the dough hook.  Continue this process until all the flour is incorporated.

Using the mixer, knead the dough on the lowest 1-2 speeds (follow instructions for your mixer) for about 5 minutes, until dough is smooth & elastic. 

If you are kneading dough by hand – check out my friend Laura’s great tutorial video on kneading bread.  She’s an expert and shows you just how it’s done. 

Shape the dough into a ball.  Lightly grease your mixing bowl, or another large bowl.  Then, place the dough ball into that bowl.  Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. 

Cover and allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour – or until doubled in size. 

Using your fist, punch the center of the dough down (this is important to release some of the CO2 bubbles that contributed to the rise of your bread the first time around).  Then, divide the dough into two halves. 

Shape each half into a loaf – you can either just plop the dough into the greased bread pan and push the sides down to form the loaf (that’s what I often do – like for this wheat buttermilk bread recipe). 

Or – roll the dough flat out, and then roll up the dough to form the loaf.

Place the loaves into lightly greased bread pans.

Cover with the tea towel again and allow the bread to rise for 30-60 minutes.  At this point, the dough has risen enough when it’s about 1 inch above the sides of the bread pan in the center.  Don’t allow the bread to over-rise – if it does, it will likely have a hole in the middle from the extra gas, or the top of the loaf will collapse.  If either happens – oh well!  Live & learn. 

Bake the loaves in an oven, preheated to 375 F, for 30-35 minutes.  At this point the bread should be lightly browned on the outside, and should sound hollow when you tap the top lightly. 

Remove the bread from the oven, and after 2 minutes, carefully remove the bread loaves from the bread pan and transfer them onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.  

Although tempting… cool completely (okay – cool mostly) before slicing. 

Now I want to know… have you made bread from scratch before?  Will you do it again?  Any tips you have to share with us?  Leave a comment below!

Linked to: Kitchen Tip Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday,