The Bluster and the Burrow
Single Loaf Sandwich Bread in a Stand Mixer
This soft sandwich bread is perfect for everyday use—whether you're making toast, French toast, or stacking it high with your favorite fillings. Made in a stand mixer with simple ingredients, it's an approachable, from-scratch recipe for anyone ready to skip the store-bought loaf.
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Equipment
- Dough Hook
- Bread Pan
- Wire Cooling Rack
- Digital Scale optional
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour 480 g, more if needed
- 1 ½ cup warm water 100-110°F
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup oil or butter
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast: Add 1 tablespoon sugar to 1 ½ cup warm water and stir to dissolve
- Add the 2 teaspoons active dry yeast and stir
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes to foam. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast isn’t active
- It could be that the water was too cold, too hot, or your yeast is dead. Start again and troubleshoot
- Add 4 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt to stand mixer with the dough hook attachment
- Mix it to incorporate the salt for 5 seconds
- Add ¼ cup oil or butter to flour mixture and stir in for about 10 seconds
- Pour the water and yeast mixture into the flour and mix on 2 for about 2 minutes to let the water incorporate. Turn off the mixer and let the dough sit for 5 minutes to incorporate. Don’t add any more flour or water until it’s had at least 5 minutes for the water to hydrate the flour.
- Mix the dough on 4 or 6 for 3 minutes
- Assess the dough. If it looks to dry, add 1 tablespoon of water and mix again
- If it’s too wet, add a tablespoon of flour
- Continue to mix for at least 2 more minutes, your dough should come together and look smooth.
- Let the dough rise for an hour (this is called the bulk fermentation) with a damp towel over the mixing bowl
- I don’t put my dough in another bowl. I keep it in the same bowl.
- After an hour and it’s doubled in size, mix again for about 10 seconds to knock the air out.
- Spray your bread pan
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and dust your hands with flour
- Push down into a rectangle. If it springs back, give it a bench rest
- Roll it into a cylinder and pinch the bottom to seal it closed
- Place in oiled bread pan
- Cover the loaf lightly with a damp towel or greased plastic wrap while it rises in the pan to prevent it from drying out
- Let it rise again in the pan (that’s the final proof) for another 30-40 minutes until doubled
- While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 375°F
- If you want a shiny crust, you can optionally add an egg wash onto the top. Mix an egg with a tablespoon of water and brush lightly on the top of the dough right before baking.
- Once doubled, bake for 15 minutes on the center rack
- After 15 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 350°F and bake for another 30-40 minutes
- Check for doneness by tapping on the top of the loaf. If it sounds hollow it is done. The internal temperature should be 190-200°F with a meat thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack
- Let cool for at least an hour before slicing to avoid gummy bread
Notes
You can proof the dough in the same bowl that you mixed it in. I don’t like creating a bunch of unnecessary dishes. After mixing, you can just let it rise in the mixing bowl. Before you shape it, mix it for 10 seconds to collect the puffed dough into a ball. It will knock the air out and be easy to remove from the bowl.
Make sure to let it proof enough. I used to bake too early and have dense loaves. If in doubt, poke the dough gently with a floured fingertip—if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight dent, it’s ready. Imagine a pregnant woman’s stomach. We don’t want to shape while it still looks like a tight bump. That may seem like doubled in size but it’s fooling you. Wait until you lift the damp towel and go “oh whoa”. When the dough looks like a woman about to pop. The skin is tight and you can see the fight between the skin and the baby inside pushing out and pulling in. You want the dough to look like the yeast is pushing out and about to burst through the dough. Pretty graphic right?
Roll your bread like a cylinder and pinch the seam shut. The bread can unfurl in the oven because of the yeast if you don’t and it can make a giant loaf. Trust me, I’ve done it before.
If you check your bread and it’s browning too quickly, tent aluminum foil on top.
Let it cool completely before slicing. This was always my first mistake. My first forays into baking involved reading The Little Red Hen. She cuts right into that bread and slathers it with butter so I thought I could do the same. If you do, your bread will end up gummy as it cools. I used to think I had messed something up while mixing or baking, but it turns out it was because I lacked patience during the cooling process.
Adjust your expectations. This bread is homemade. It’s not going to be a perfect loaf like in the grocery store. It’s okay if it looks a little funny. It’ll still taste great and you can work to perfect it in time. This bread has a tighter crumb than store bought. That’s normal. It’s perfect for toasting and sturdy sandwiches.
Nutrition
Calories: 2381kcal | Carbohydrates: 396g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 2339mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 23mg
