King Arthur Bread Recipe

King Arthur Baking's Classic Sandwich Bread is a white loaf made with milk, butter and all-purpose flour. This loaf is made in that style: three cups of all-purpose flour, a cup of lukewarm milk, three tablespoons of butter, sugar, salt and two teaspoons of instant yeast, kneaded, risen twice and baked at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes.

What King Arthur's Classic Sandwich Bread is

King Arthur Baking publishes its Classic Sandwich Bread as a version of homemade white bread made with butter, milk and its flour. The recipe there takes 3 cups of all-purpose flour, half a cup of milk and half to two thirds of a cup of hot water, 4 tablespoons of melted butter or a quarter cup of oil, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of instant yeast. It is baked at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, to 190°F in the centre.

The loaf below keeps that frame and changes two things: milk for all of the liquid and a tablespoon less butter. A slice comes to about 120 calories by USDA figures. MakeFoodLovely is not connected with King Arthur Baking.

Recipe

Classic White Sandwich Bread

A soft white sandwich loaf in the style of King Arthur's Classic Sandwich Bread — all-purpose flour, milk, butter, sugar, salt and instant yeast, kneaded and baked in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch pan. Sixteen slices.

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Prep

20 min

Cook

32 min

Total

3 hr 22 min

Serves

16

Cuisine

American

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup lukewarm whole milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions

1. Stir the flour, the sugar, the yeast and the salt together in a large bowl. Add the milk and the melted butter and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or 6 to 7 minutes with a dough hook, until the dough is smooth and springs back when pressed. It should be soft and only slightly sticky.
3. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it and let it rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
4. Press the dough into a rectangle about 8 inches wide, roll it up tightly from a short side and pinch the seam shut. Set it seam side down in a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
5. Cover the pan and let the loaf rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until it has crowned about 1 inch over the rim. Heat the oven to 350°F.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and 190°F in the centre. Turn the loaf out onto a rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories:

120

Calculated from the ingredient quantities above using the USDA FoodData Central database, then divided by the number of servings. It is an estimate and will vary with the exact products you use.

How the dough should feel

Flour does not always take the same amount of liquid. King Arthur's own recipe gives a range for the water for that reason. With all milk, start with the cup and judge by touch.

• Too dry: the dough tears and will not come together. Work in milk a tablespoon at a time.
• Too wet: it sticks to the hands in strings. Dust in flour a tablespoon at a time.
• Right: soft, smooth and a little tacky.

Kneading is done when a small piece can be stretched thin without tearing at once.

King Arthur bread flour in place of all-purpose

Bread flour has more protein and takes up more liquid. With bread flour, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, and expect a taller loaf with a chewier crumb. A loaf made with bread flour and a starter is the Trader Joe's sourdough. Whole wheat flour can replace up to 1 cup of the white flour; add 2 tablespoons of milk for it as well.

Two rises, judged by size

Times depend on the temperature of the kitchen. Go by the dough: doubled in the bowl, and an inch above the rim in the pan. A loaf that goes into the oven too early splits at the side; one left too long collapses and bakes flat on top.

Slicing and keeping

A warm loaf squashes under the knife. Wait an hour. The bread keeps three days in a bag at room temperature and freezes, sliced, for three months.

For a richer loaf with eggs there is the Trader Joe's brioche. Flatbreads are on the Outdoor Boys bread page.