Sandwich Bread

Thanksgiving means turkey and turkey means turkey sandwiches. Sure, you could pick up a loaf at your local supermarket, but homemade is better. I especially like the slight tang that sourdough starters gives this loaf. If you do not have a starter, just increase the amount of flour and water. The starter contains equal amounts of each. This recipe makes two 500-gram (17 ounce) loaves. I wrap one in heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze it.

As I have noted previously, the only way to achieve consistent breadmaking results is to measure ingredients by weight. I prefer metric units because it is much easier to divide by 10 than by 16. Just set your scale to metric units and do not worry if they are unfamiliar. Just read the numbers.

Ingredients

100% hydration sourdough starter               100 grams

Water                                                                    98 milliliters (grams)

Whole wheat flour (white preferred)            50 grams

Bread flour                                                          535 grams

Non-fat dry milk                                                32 grams

Sugar                                                                    25 grams

Salt                                                                       12 grams

Instant dry yeast                                                4 grams (1 teaspoon)

Butter or oil                                                        25 grams

Eggs                                                                       1 large

Vegetable oil                                                        as needed

Method

Weigh all the ingredients into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fit with a dough hook. Knead at the speed recommended by the mixer manufacturer (2 for KitchenAide) until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 15 minutes.

Pour a small amount of oil into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Form the dough into a ball and roll it in the oil to lightly coat. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the dough ball, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside in a warm place to proof. This will take one to two hours depending on the temperature.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands and a dough scraper, divide into two equal parts and form into balls. Dust the counter with a bit more flour and flatten one of the balls into a disk about an inch thick. Roll the disk tightly, turning in the ends. Roll the dough back and forth until you have a nice loaf. Place in a standard 5″ x 9″ one-pound loaf pan (butter the pan lightly if it is not non-stick). Repeat with the second ball. Cover with the towel. Proof until the dough is just above the top of the pan, about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the loaf pans on a middle rack and turn the temperature down to 350°F. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaves is around 205°F. Cool on a rack.