Best Ever Sandwich Bread

This has been my go-to recipe when making sandwich bread at home for us. I absolutely love being in the kitchen, mixing all the ingredients for the bread, and using my hands to form the dough. The bread always turns out better than what I buy at a store!!! I use it to make our sandwiches or French Toast. Definitely a keeper and it's Dr. Sweetpea approved!

American Sandwich Bread

(Source: America's Test Kitchen Bread Cookbook)

13 3/4 ounces bread flour

2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 ounces whole milk, room temperature

2 2/3 ounces water, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey 

Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk milk, water, melted butter, and honey in 4 cup liquid measuring cup until honey has dissolved. 

Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down a bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. 

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

Grease 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Press down on dough to deflate. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter (side of dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). Press and stretch dough into 8 by 6 inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge. 

Roll dough away from you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Pinch seam closed and place loaf seam side down in prepared pan, pressing dough gently into corners. 

Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until loaf reaches 1 inch above lip of pan and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mist loaf with water and bake until deep golden brown and loaf registers 205 to 210 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. 

Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and let cool completely on wire rack, about 3 hours, before serving.