Sandwich Bread

 

For the past few years, minus the summer when it is just too hot to bake, I have been making our own Sandwich Bread. My family HATES it, if for some reason I have to buy bread from the grocery store. This bread is far superior to that which you will find at the grocery store. The list of ingredients in this recipe are simple and recognizable! I can pronounce every ingredient and I know what it is. I know that my family is eating this bread, they are getting something good. Have you tried my bread? You need to!

 This recipe makes two loaves, so if your blender is small, you are going to want to make half a batch. Also, this can be done by hand as well, and it turns out just as good.

 Sandwich Bread
(This recipe makes 2 loaves)

5 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup gluten flour
2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients and whisk to combine.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the warm milk, water and yeast. With a wire whisk, stir to dissolve the yeast. Add vinegar and olive oil and give it a quick stir with the whisk.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.  With the Dough Hook attachment, mix and knead the dough for about 10 minutes(or by hand).

Spread some olive oil over the dough, cover, let rise 1 hour to double.  Prepare two loaf pans (9" x 5" each), with butter and set aside.

Punch down and remove from mixer bowl.  Knead by hand for about a minute to remove any large air bubbles.  Cut dough in half with a sharp knife (do not tear in half!), and put half back into the mixing bowl.  With a rolling pin, roll your first loaf into a rectangle, trying to roll out as many air bubbles as you can (this helps your bread have a more uniform look to it inside.  If you find your dough is too sticky, add a little olive oil (do not add flour).  Roll, jelly roll style into a rectangle. Pinch the edges and ends together to make it into a loaf.  Fold each end over onto each other, so they are connected on the top, and pinch together to make a smaller loaf.  It should still be rectangular shape.

With seam side down, place into prepared loaf pan, then repeat with the second loaf.  Cover and let rise 20-30 minutes.  While these are rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Uncover, place in oven and bake 25 minutes, or until done.  (The oven I have now takes 36 minutes for them to bake, but my last oven we had only took 26 minutes to bake- Keep an eye on these!)  You will know when it is thoroughly baked, if, when you tap the bottom of your loaves and it sounds hollow.  These are so easy to slice, but make sure the bread is completely cooled before slicing.