Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Have you ever had sandwich bread so delicious you could eat the whole loaf? Well, this recipe is for you!
Servings 2 loaves
Ingredients
- 1 cup active, bubbly starter
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 T honey
- 2 1/2 t salt
- 1 egg optional
- 7 cups flour (it may be 1/2 cup more or less flour depending on the type you use)
Instructions
- Combine the first 5 ingredients (and egg, if using) until well combined. Add the flour, a cup at a time, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and begins to form a ball. The dough should feel tacky to the touch but not overly sticky. Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes. It should be soft and stretchy, and when pulled apart, should be nearly translucent (window pane test).
- Let the dough rise somewhere warm (covered so it doesn’t dry out) until nearly double in size. (If doing a long ferment, at this point, put the dough in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. Remove from the refrigerator on baking day and let sit for 1-2 hours.)
- Turn the dough out of the bowl. Divide it evenly in two parts. Knead the first half by hand for about 3 minutes. Press it into a rectangle and roll into a loaf shape. Pull the dough towards you to create surface tension on the top of the loaf.
- Place loaf into an oiled bread pan, repeat with the 2nd dough, cover both and let rise somewhere warm. The dough should nearly double in size. *Many people bake bread before it has fully risen, resulting in a dense loaf*.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. For a golden loaf, brush the top of the dough with 1 beaten egg before baking, or alternatively, spread butter on the top of the loaves after baking.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 185-190°. Remove from pans after baking and let cool on a cooling rack for one hour before slicing. Enjoy! Best served with homemade jam 🍯😋