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Pre-Ferment:
In a medium sized bowl stir the flour with the yeast and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the water.
With a plastic scraper or wooden spoon, work the flour into the liquid, until
all the flour has been moistened.
Then lightly oil a medium sized bowl.
Place the dough into the bowl and flip it over so the top of the dough has
a light coating of oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit (ferment) at room
temperature for one hour. Then place in the refrigerator overnight (about 12
hours).
White Sandwich Bread: In
a large bowl stir the flours with the yeast, salt, sugar, and dried milk powder.
Remove the Pre-ferment from the refrigerator and cut it into small chunks. Pour
the cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the dough hook.
Then add the Pre-ferment and the flour mixture. Knead the dough on 1st speed for
five minutes. Increase your mixer speed to 2nd speed and continue to knead the
dough for about 4-6 minutes or until the dough cleans the bowl and is smooth,
elastic, and not very sticky. Add the butter and continue to knead the dough, on
2nd speed, for another three to five minutes or until the dough cleans the bowl
and is smooth and elastic.
Place your dough in a large
bowl that has been lightly oiled. Turn the dough once so
the top of the dough has a light coating of oil (this prevents a crust from
forming on the top of the dough). Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room
temperature (about 75 degree F) (24 degree C) until almost doubled
(approximately 1 hour).
Turn out your dough onto a
lightly floured surface. You want the top of the dough to now be on the bottom.
Lightly flour the top of your dough and with the palms of your hands flatten the
dough slightly to break any large air bubbles. Then divide the dough into two
equal sized pieces (about 900 grams each). When you divide the dough use a
pastry scraper or knife and cut, don't pull or stretch, the dough. Then, working
with one piece of dough at a time, pre-shape your dough into a round. Do this by
taking the edges of the dough and fold them into the center and gently seal.
Then flip your dough over so the smooth side is facing up. With the palms of
your hands rotate the ball of dough on your surface to create surface tension and to
seal the edges of the dough completely. Place the
rounds on a lightly floured baking sheet or board and cover with plastic wrap. Let the
rounds of dough sit at room temperature for about 25-30 minutes. (This is to
relax the dough and you will notice that the dough will rise a little.)
You will need two - 9 x 5 x 4
inch (23 x 12.5 x 10 cm) loaf pans. Lightly grease the pans with a flavorless
oil or spray with a non stick vegetable spray.
Next, place the rounds of
dough, upside down, onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the
dough. Form the dough into a rectangle. Take the short edge of the rectangle and
fold the dough lengthwise into thirds, like you're folding a letter. Make sure
the edges of the dough are straight and even. Next, we need to shape the dough
into a log shape. Take the top edge of the dough and fold it into the center and
seal. Again, take the top edge of the dough and fold it over to the edge of the
dough and seal. Turn the dough so the seal is now underneath. Then with the
palms of your hands, gently roll the dough back and forth until it's the length of your
loaf pan. Place the logs of dough into your pans, seam side down. (The dough
should fill the pan about two thirds full.) Cover each pan with plastic wrap
that has been lightly floured and let proof at room temperature for 1 - 2 hours
or until almost doubled in size. The dough will rise above
the rim of your loaf pan. (If you lightly press into the dough, your finger will
leave a slight indentation.) (If the dough starts to mushroom over the sides of the
pan bake immediately.)
Meanwhile preheat your oven to 350 degree
F (180 degree C). If you want your bread to have a slight crust, place a cast
iron frying pan on the floor of your oven. We will be placing a few ice cubes in
the frying pan to create steam.
When your bread is ready to
bake, remove the plastic wrap and place in the preheated oven. Place 3-4 ice
cubes into your frying pan. Bake for about
35 - 40 minutes or until your bread is golden brown. If you tap the bread it will
sound hollow. About halfway through baking turn your pans front to back to
promote even baking. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for a
couple of minutes. Then remove the breads from their pans, placing the bread top
side up on a wire rack. If a soft crust is
desired, brush the tops of the breads with melted butter. Let cool completely
before serving. This bread can be stored in an airtight bag for about three days
or it can be frozen for a couple of months.
Makes 2
loaves of White Sandwich Bread.
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