Classic White Sandwich Bread

This recipe will make two loaves of bread.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 1/3 cups of warm water
• 8 tablespoons butter – melted
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Instructions

• First pour 6 cups of flour into a large mixing bowl, and remove 6 tablespoons of that flour and put it in a saucepan.
• Measure your water and take out about 1 cup of the water and pour it in with the 6TBS flour. (this is the start of the Tangzhong method).
• Cook the flour and water mixture over medium high heat, whisking the whole time until it becomes a paste. When it is done set it aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, melt 8TBS of butter and set aside to cool.
• Add sugar to the remaining 1/3 cup of water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Gently mix to let the yeast bloom.
• Go back to your big bowl of flour and mix in the salt.
• Now let’s bring it all together! Make a well in your flour and pour in the milk, bloomed yeast, butter, and the flour/water paste.
• Begin combining using a spoon or spatula, but eventually switch to your hands.
• Once the ingredients are all combined, knead the dough for 7-9 minutes. The dough should not be sticking to your hands or the surface. If it is sticky, add about 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
• Place the dough back in the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it is doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 350°
• After it has doubled, punch it down and divide it in half. Flatten the dough into rectangles and then roll them into logs. Set each log in a loaf pan lined with parchment (or you can grease it, but I strongly recommend the parchment).
• Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough is and inch over the side of the loaf pan. I like to use a razor to put a slice down the middle of my loaf, but you don’t have to.
• Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• When you take it out of the oven, remove it from the loaf pan and let it cool on a rack. This is why I recommend parchment, it makes it a million times easier to remove a hot loaf!
• Let the loaf cool before slicing.
• Enjoy!!