Simple Sandwich Loaf

After months of dense, holey loaves, I finally cracked the code on a soft sandwich bread my kids actually want to eat. The secret is a bit of butter and honey.

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Yield 1 loaf
Simple Sandwich Loaf — homemade sourdough recipe

Starter Prep

Feed starter the night before a 1:5:5 ratio (12g starter + 60g water + 60g flour) Total: 132g

TIP:

1:5:5 Ratio - Peak: 7–10 hours - Holds peak: 3–4 hours - Expires: 4–6 hours after peak

Ingredients

  • 100g active sourdough starter
  • 280g warm milk
  • 30g honey or maple syrup
  • 450g bread flour
  • 8g salt
  • 40g softened butter

Instructions

  1. Combine starter, warm milk, and honey in a large bowl. Stir until starter dissolves.
  2. Add flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and rest 30 minutes (autolyse).
  3. Add salt and softened butter. Knead in the bowl for 5 minutes until butter is fully incorporated and dough becomes smooth. (Highly recommend using a stand mixer, less mess and its easier to incorporate the butter)
  4. Cover and let rise 4-6 hours at room temperature, folding every hour for the first 2 hours.
  5. Roll out your dough and shape into a tight log and place seam-side down in a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover loosely.
  6. Let rise until dough crowns about 1 inch above the pan rim, about 2-3 hours.
  7. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown.
  8. Remove from pan immediately and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Mom Tips

  • Ideally this can be done by hand kneading but for best results a stand mixer is the trick.
  • Cold butter won't incorporate well - make sure it's truly softened.
  • This loaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C).
  • For extra soft crust, brush with melted butter right out of the oven.
  • Slice with a serrated knife after cooling completely to avoid squishing.