Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Learn how to make homemade sourdough sandwich bread with this easy and delicious recipe. This sourdough sandwich bread is so soft, slices easily, and tastes better than store-bought bread!
Ingredients
- 50 gramssourdough starter
- 50 gramswater
- 50 gramsbread flour
- 400 gramsbread flour
- 8 gramskosher salt
- 12 gramsgranulated sugar
- 13 gramsdried milk powder (2 tbs, optional)
- 71 gramsunsalted butter (5 tbs melted, plus 1 tbs for brushing)
- 250 gramswhole milk (room temperature)
- 150 gramslevain (see above, or use 150g of active sourdough starter)
Directions
- 1
Make Levain:Mix together the levain ingredients in a jar. Cover and let double in size in a warm location for 4-5 hours until bubbly.Alternatively, skip this step and mix 150g of sourdough starter into your dough.
- 2
Mix Ingredients:Once the levain is ready, add all of the sourdough sandwich bread dough ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer including all of the levain.Attach the dough hook and mix together on medium speed until all of the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.*Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes for the dough to fully hydrate.Continue mixing on medium speed for about 7-10 more minutes until the dough is tacky, not sticky and you can stretch a piece of the dough into a thin membrane without it tearing (windowpane test).
- 3
Bulk Fermentation (First Rise):Place the dough in a lightly oiled medium-sized bowl and cover.In a warm location, the dough should bulk ferment for about 4.5-5 hours. At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough should double, dome in the bowl, and appear full of air.
- 4
Overnight Proof:Place the bowl of dough into the refrigerator to proof overnight or up to 48 hours.
- 5
Shape the Dough:The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and butter a 8.5"x4.5" bread loaf pan.Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly press the dough into a square shape with your fingers.Using a rolling pin, evenly roll out the dough into a large oval (about 8.5" wide and 17" long).Starting at the short end closest to you, use your hands to roll up the dough into a log. Pick up the dough log and place it seam-side down into the bread loaf pan.
- 6
Final Proof:Cover the bread loaf pan and place in a warm location to proof for 4.5-5 hours.Final proof is complete when the dough looks swollen, has filled up the bread loaf pan, and rises about 1 inch above the bread loaf pan.If you press the dough with a lightly floured finger, it should leave a slight indentation.
- 7
Bake:Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).Brush the top of the bread dough with a tablespoon of melted butter.Bake the sourdough sandwich bread for 35-40 minutes. The sandwich bread is done when the top crust is evenly and lightly browned and the internal temperature reads between 190-200ºF (88-93ºC).Let cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Turning the still hot bread out of the bread loaf pan to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy!