Homemade Sandwich Bread (Super Tender!)
This homemade sandwich bread made with just 5 ingredients is exceptionally tender and pillowy! The process is so simple and easy to follow, you will never want to buy sandwich bread at the store again!
Equipment
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 20 g bread flour
- 100 g water
Bread
- 450 g bread flour
- 8 g instant yeast
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 210 ml water at room temperature
- 52 ml oil
- 6 g salt
Instructions
Tangzhong
- Add the flour and the water to a saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat, constantly whisking, until it reaches a temperature of 150°F (65°C). Note: If you don't have a thermometer, remove from the heat as soon as the flour mixture has thickened.
- Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Bread
- Knead: Add the bread flour, instant yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the prepared Tangzhong, water, oil, and salt.
- Knead on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Be aware that the dough will be very soft; this is normal. Do not add more flour.
- First rise: Lightly grease a glass bowl with oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in volume.
- Lightly grease a 1 Pound Pullman Loaf Pan with oil (or line it with parchment paper).
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air inside. On a well-floured surface, shape the ball into a log the size of your loaf pan. Transfer the dough to the prepared loaf pan and close with the lid.
- Second rise: Let the dough rise a second time for 45-60 minutes in a warm environment (you can place it in the oven with the light on). Do not try to open the lid.
- Bake: Near the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Bake the loaf for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before opening the lid.
- Transfer the sandwich bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the sandwich bread wrapped for up to 5 days at room temperature or 7 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use high-protein flour. While all-purpose flour works great, I prefer bread flour or high-protein flour. It gives the crumb a chewier texture.
- Do not omit the Tangzhong step. This extra step not only helps tenderize the bread but also helps the bread stay fresher longer.
- Use grams. For more accurate results, ingredients are given in grams.
- Check the expiry date of your yeast. Yeast may be a dry product, it can expire and won't have any rising power, so always make sure to check the expiry date.
- Let the loaf inside the pan for 15 minutes after baking. This will allow it to steam and keep its moisture.
- Store in a plastic bag. Keep the plastic bag that comes from store-bought sandwich bread to store your homemade bread. It will stay soft for up to 5 days. Check out below for the freezing option.
- Choose a serrated knife over a plain one. While I used a plain edge knife for photo purposes, cutting this sandwich bread using a serrated knife into 1-inch slices is better.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 166 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.2 g | Protein: 3.5 g | Fat: 3.8 g | Saturated Fat: 0.5 g | Sodium: 167 mg | Potassium: 36 mg | Fiber: 0.9 g | Sugar: 3.7 g | Calcium: 5 mg | Iron: 2 mg