This is the easiest way to learn how to make sandwich loaves without a lot of ingredients or time. It's a recipe I make often.
Prepare: 15 minutesmins
Bake: 45 minutesmins
Rest Time: 3 hourshrs
Total Time: 4 hourshrs
Servings: 12
Ingredients
3 ⅓cups(500g) white bread flour
1 ¼cups(300g) water
2tsp(7g) yeast
1 - 2tsp(5 - 10g) salt*
Instructions
In a large bowl, stir together flour, yeast and salt.
Add water.
Using the handle of a spoon or your hand, stir the mixture until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn out onto a clean surface and begin kneading by folding the dough over in half and pushing it down flat away from you. Do this for approximately 5 - 10 minutes or until you can stretch the dough without it immediately tearing and it is smooth to the touch.
Return dough to the bowl and cover with a cloth, clingfilm or loose fitting lid and let sit at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours or until the dough no longer springs back when pressed.
Place dough onto a lightly floured surface or work on a dry surface. This is up to you. I prefer not to add flour as it can make the loaf too dense. Fold the dough into a rough rectangle and place in a lightly oiled loaf tin, seam side down.
Cover and let rise until it reaches the top of the pan. This can take around 30 - 60 minutes.
Preheat oven 400F (200C.)
Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Center of bread should read 212F (100C.)
Let cool completely before slicing to let the bread crumb set and prevent drying out.
Notes
*Two teaspoons is traditional and gives you a french bread type taste. However, if you use 2 tsp, sodium is increased to 387.5 grams per slice. Nutrition information as shown is 1 tsp of salt.An important note on dry yeast: Instant dry and active dry yeasts are not the same. If using active dry yeast, you must activate the yeast according to the manufacturer's instructions in order for the dough to rise properly. You typically need to activate or "bloom" the yeast by adding it to warmed liquid for several minutes. Instant dry yeast can be added to the dry ingredients and typically does not need to be activated prior to use. However, some brands of dry yeasts still require adding warm liquids, so be sure to read the label. Rapid, quick and fast acting dry yeasts will rise much faster than instant and active dry yeasts. For best results, always read and follow the instructions provided on the packet as the rising time varies widely between manufacturers.