The flavour is great and the
texture is not too fluffy, not too dense; just right. A very nice sandwich
bread, though I wasn’t impressed with it fresh out of the oven. But by the next
day it was perfect. I had to knead it in three batches, it was way too much
dough for my Kitchenaid, but I like the fact the recipe makes three
good sized loaves. With eight cups of flour it is important to measure with accuracy.
Employ the half cup scoop and sweep method. Make sure the gluten is fully
developed, beat the hell out of it, and then give it time to rise. The first
rising should double the dough and the second rising must complete it. Just as
I thought it would be, at 350F the bread is not going to rise significantly. So
don’t be in a hurry and don’t count on the oven raising the dough. The recipe
is well… a fusion of several recipes, but mostly mine.
WHITE SANDWICH BREAD
3 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup white sugar
2-1/2 Tbsp instant dry yeast
2-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
8 cups bread flour [16 half cup
scoop and sweep]
more oil for greasing
- In a very large mixing bowl, combine lukewarm water, yeast, salt, oil, sugar, and 4 cups flour.
- Mix it thoroughly, and let the sponge rise until it doubles in size.
- Gradually add the rest of the flour kneading it thoroughly.
- Divide the dough in three batches and one batch at a time kneed it in a standing mixer with a dough hook until very elastic.
- Move the dough to a clean flat surface and pound it, beating it down against the surface. This will further develop the gluten and make the dough very elastic.
- Combine the three batches kneading them together by hand.
- Place them in a clean well oiled bowl and turn it over.
- Cover with a clean dishtowel and let it rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Punch down the risen dough and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Divide dough into three equal parts and shape them into loaves.
- Oil three bread pans and place the loaves inside, oiling the tops.
- Let the loaves rise until the desired height.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 39 minutes.
- Let the loaves cool completely before slicing.
