Do you think making bread at home is difficult? Nope. Start with this step-by-step homemade white bread recipe -- from scratch! What you'll get is a delicious loaf of bread that is excellent for making toasts or sandwiches. Yum!
Nothing beats the smell of freshly baked bread.
Even better when your kitchen is filled with that smell because it's coming from your oven. 🙂
Light, soft, and simply delicious fresh bread -- so, give it a try now!
IF YOU WANT MORE BREAKFAST IDEAS, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Yeast - I use active dry yeast for this white bread recipe.
- Butter - unsalted butter.
- Salt - you might need to use a bit less if you are using salted butter.
- Honey - use your favorite honey flavor. I have used flowery ones, fruity and intense ones; the result is always excellent.
- Milk - regular full cream milk
- Flour - I always use all-purpose flour for this sandwhich bread recipe, and I have never been disappointed with the result --- soft and fluffy.
Preparation
Start by combining warm milk with yeast and set aside until foamy (photo 1).
Combine flour and salt in a mixer bowl and mix (photo 2).
Add honey and melted butter.
Add the milk and yeast mixture (photo 3).
Add water and mix/knead until you get a smooth dough and form it into a ball.
Place dough in an oiled bowl (photo 4).
Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it doubled in size.
Once the dough is ready, remove from the bowl and flatten with a rolling pin.
Roll the dough from one side to form a log (photo 5).
Fold the ends of the log and place the dough in the loaf pan (photo 6).
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for thirty minutes.
Fifteen minutes before the dough is ready, preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
Remove the cover of the dough and brush the top with milk (photo 7).
Place the pan in the lower part of the oven for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and brush the top of your white bread with melted butter (photo 8).
Set aside for ten minutes and then remove the loaf from the pan. You need to do this to avoid making the bottom of the bread soggy or moist.
Place the loaf in a cooling rack and leave for at least twenty minutes, then serve.
Helpful tips
- Make sure the milk is warm, not hot when you combine it with the yeast.
- Use less salt if you are using salted butter.
- You can either use a stand mixer or knead the dough manually. It normally takes me at least twenty-five minutes of continuous kneading when I do it manually.
- This recipe can be split into two loaf tins if that's what you prefer.
- Do not forget to remove the loaf from the pan, 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. It ensures that the bottom will not be moist or soggy.
- Make sure you give it enough time for your homemade white bread to cool down in a rack before slicing. The inside of the bread would still be too warm (and too soft) to slice.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the loaf, not a regular kitchen knife.
FAQ
I normally use a cloth bread bag or a bread box to store my bread. However, if you have already started slicing the loaf, it's easier to store it in the breadbox.
I know some friends who would wrap it in plastic and store the bread in the freezer. I never do that.
Once they get stale, I turn them into homemade breadcrumbs and then store them in the freezer.
See how easy it is to make homemade white bread? Give it a try this week and let me know! 🙂
Happy cooking!
STILL WANT TO SEE MORE IDEAS FOR BREAKFAST OR SNACKS? THEN CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES!
Easy Homemade White Bread
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk, lukewarm, (+1 tbsp for brushing)
- 2 & 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted, melted, (+1 tbsp for brushing)
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
PREPARING THE DOUGH:
- Combine warm milk and yeast. Mix and set aside until it becomes foamy.
- In a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine and mix flour and salt.
- Add honey, melted butter, yeast mixture, and water.
- Mix until you get a smooth dough.
PROOFING THE DOUGH:
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.
- Cover with a cloth and set aside until it has doubled in size (it normally takes an hour).
- Deflate the dough and use a rolling pin to flatten it.
- Form a log by rolling from one side of the dough.
- Fold the ends of the log to make it fit your loaf pan.
- Place the dough into your loaf pan and cover with a clean kitchen cloth. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
BAKING YOUR SANDWICH BREAD:
- About 15 minutes before the dough is almost ready, preheat your oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Remove the cover of the dough and brush the top with milk.
- Place the loaf pan in the lower part of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or when the top has turned golden.
SERVING YOUR HOMEMADE BREAD:
- Take the pan out of the oven and brush the top of the loaf with melted butter.
- Set aside for no more than 10 minutes, then take the loaf out of the pan.
- Place the loaf on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes, then serve.
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Check that the milk is warm, not hot before mixing it with the yeast.
- Cook's Tip #2: If you are using salted butter, use less salt.
- Cook's Tip #3: In case you don't have a stand mixer, kneading the dough manually is fine. It generally takes me at least twenty-five minutes of manual kneading to get a smooth dough.
- Cook's Tip #4: This recipe can be split into two loaf tins if that's what you prefer.
- Cook's Tip #5: Make sure to remove the loaf from the pan, 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. It ensures that the bottom will not be moist or soggy.
- Cook's Tip #6: Do not forget to give it enough time to cool in a rack before slicing. The inside of the bread would still be too warm (and too soft) to slice.
- Cook's Tip #7: Use a serrated knife to slice your homemade white bread, not a regular kitchen knife.
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