Sandwich Bread with Yeast
2162kcal
Ingredients
The Quick Yeast Sponge Base
- 3 g Dry instant yeast
- 225 g Water
- 250 g Bread flour
The Enriched Main Dough
- All of the prepared mature sponge From the stage above
- 250 g Bread flour
- 10 g Salt
- 30 g Sugar
- 25 g Unsalted butter softened completely to room temperature
- 20g to 40g Extra water Reserved strictly for hydration adjustments during kneading
The Ultra-Shiny Bakery Glaze
- 1 tsp Corn starch
- 2 tbsp Water Cold, for dissolving the starch
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 cup Hot boiling water
Equipment
- Stand Mixer Fitted with the dough hook attachment
- Standard Pan 13x4 inch Pullman loaf pan size
- Plastic Wrap or clean towel
- Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
Method
Sponge Pre-Fermentation & Volume Tracking
- 8:00 AM: In your stand mixer bowl (or a medium mixing bowl), completely dissolve the 3g of dry instant yeast into the 225g of water. Add the initial 250g of bread flour and mix thoroughly with a spoon until no dry pockets remain.
- Cover the bowl securely and let it ferment for 2 to 3 hours in a warm, draft-free spot at 80–84°F (26–29°C) until it doubles or triples in size and looks highly active, bubbly, and airy. Hack: An oven with the interior light turned on makes an excellent home proofing cell.
Main Mixing & Hydration Calibration
- 11:00 AM: Verify that your sponge has peaked. Add the remaining 250g of bread flour, 30g of sugar, and 10g of salt directly into the bowl with all the mature sponge.
- Secure your dough hook. Mix the dough on the low speed of your machine for 5 minutes (or if using a KitchenAid mixer, run it on speed 3 for exactly 7 minutes) until well incorporated.
- Add the 25g of soft room-temperature butter into the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and knead continuously for an additional 10 minutes until the fat incorporates completely.
- The Stiffness Check: Monitor the surface of the dough mass carefully during the final minutes of kneading. If the dough seems too stiff or dry, add 20g of extra water into the bowl and continue mixing. If it still looks dry after 2 minutes, add another 10g to 20g of water. The finished dough must gather cleanly into a ball with a highly smooth, unified surface.
- Cover the dough and let it proof a second time for 1 to 2 hours at 78–86°F (26–30°C) until it doubles in volume.
Tension Shaping, Steamed Baking, and Glazing
- Gently turn the expanded dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll and shape it up firmly from top to bottom into a tight, compact cylinder to build internal crumb tension.
- Transfer your shaped log seam-side down into a greased Pullman loaf pan (13x4 inch size). Cover loosely and let it proof a final time for 1 to 2 hours at 78–86°F (26–30°C) until it doubles in size or fills out the pan line.
- Preheat your oven to a high 450°F (230°C).
- Use a sharp razor blade or lame to score a clean line down the center of the loaf. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for exactly 10 minutes with steam. To create steam at home, carefully pour boiling water into a preheated metal tray placed on the rack directly underneath your loaf.
- Lower the oven temperature down to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 20 more minutes without any steam until the crust turns an even, deep golden brown.
- The Shiny Glaze: While the bread finishes baking, whisk the 1 teaspoon of corn starch, 2 tablespoons of cold water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar together in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the 1/2 cup of hot boiling water directly over the mixture and stir vigorously until completely clear and lump-free.
- Remove the bread from the oven. Using a pastry brush, immediately spread your prepared warm starch glaze generously over the piping hot top crust. Let the bread cool down completely before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories2162kcalCarbohydrates400gProtein68gFat29gSaturated Fat14gPolyunsaturated Fat4gMonounsaturated Fat6gTrans Fat1gCholesterol69mgSodium756mgPotassium681mgFiber13gSugar35gVitamin A649IUVitamin C0.4mgCalcium121mgIron5mg
Notes
- The Two-Step Flour Hydration Benefit: Splitting your flour delivery into an initial 2.5-hour pre-ferment sponge followed by a main mix serves a critical chemical role. The commercial yeast cells multiply rapidly inside the wet sponge environment, generating organic acids that condition the first half of the flour. This process yields an incredibly soft, extensible crumb structure that matches the quality of slow sourdough while using fast yeast.
- Why Baking with Steam Matters: Injecting steam into the oven environment during the first 10 minutes of baking keeps the exterior starch jacket of the loaf moist and flexible. This moisture prevents the crust from setting too early, allowing the gases inside to expand freely to build a proud, open oven spring. If you prefer a thinner, softer crust over a crisp artisan shell, simply omit the steam entirely and bake dry.
- The Magic Behind the Cornstarch Glaze: Brushing a hot starch wash directly onto your sandwich bread immediately out of the oven is a classic commercial bakery secret. The ambient surface heat instantly gelatinizes the cornstarch matrix, trapping moisture underneath while drying out into a perfectly transparent, glass-like shiny veneer that looks beautiful and keeps your crust from wrinkling.
- Adjusting Firmness for Flour Varieties: Because different brands of white bread flour feature varying protein weights and absorption rates, keep an eye on your mixer bowl during step 6. The dough should look supple and active; if it appears blocky or struggles to wrap smoothly around your hook, do not hesitate to add that extra 20g to 40g of water to optimize hydration.