Two-loaf French-style sandwich bread
Adapted from the existing FOOD-001 canonical formula without changing its dough quantities. Shaping, oil allowance and storage are newly written practical details; this is not a recovered transcript or a kitchen-tested new version.
- YIELD
- 2 loaves in 9 x 5-inch pans
- PREP / WAIT
- 25 minutes active; 75–105 minutes rising
- COOK
- 28–34 minutes at 375°F; about 2 hours cooling
Ingredients
- 473 g water, warmed to 105–110°F
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 42 g honey
- 720–780 g all-purpose flour
- 57 g salted butter, very soft
- 12 g fine salt
- 2 tsp neutral oil, for the bowl and pans
Method
- Stir the water, honey and yeast in the mixing bowl; wait 5–10 minutes for signs of activity. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans with half the oil.
- Add 720 g flour and the salt. Mix with a paddle on low for about 1 minute, until a shaggy dough forms. Mix in the very soft butter, then stop and install the dough hook.
- Knead at the mixer manufacturer’s recommended bread speed for 7–9 minutes, adding the remaining flour only as necessary to obtain a soft, elastic dough that is slightly tacky. Knead by hand if the batch exceeds the mixer’s rated capacity.
- Oil a large bowl with the remaining oil, add dough, cover, and let rise for 45–60 minutes or until approximately doubled.
- Gently deflate and divide in half. Pat each half into a rectangle about 8 inches wide, roll into a tight log, pinch the seam, and place seam down in a pan.
- Cover and proof 30–45 minutes, until visibly puffy and about 1 inch above the rim. Heat the oven to 375°F during the final proof. These pan loaves do not require scoring.
- Bake on the center rack for 28–34 minutes, until golden and the center reads 190–195°F. If the surface colors early, loosely tent with foil and continue to the center-temperature target.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto a rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing or bagging.
Notes & storage
- The 12 g salt is the amount already specified with salted butter in FOOD-001; do not subtract salt from it a second time.
- Store fully cooled loaves airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or slice and freeze for up to 2 months.