Soft sourdough sandwich bread
Delicious soft sourdough sandwich bread with a soft, even crumb and is substantial enough to hold a sandwich.
Jump to Recipe
this soft sourdough sandwich bread is the sourdough loaf you’ve been looking for
Guys, this soft sourdough sandwich bread is the ultimate solution for your sourdough sandwich cravings! For months I’ve experimented in a desperate attempt to find the perfect soft sourdough sandwich bread, and this recipe is the answer you (and I) have been searching for. Unlike a lot of sourdough loaf recipes that end up dense and chewy, this has an irresistibly soft and airy texture that perfectly complements your favorite fillings. Additionally, it is a flexible recipe that can be fermented overnight OR baked the same day! Crafted to perfection, this bread has a delightful tangy and buttery flavor in every bite, giving you a sourdough sandwich experience that is nothing short of extraordinary. Say goodbye to compromise and hello to the ultimate sourdough sandwich bread recipe you’ve been dreaming of!
Ingredients you’ll need to make soft sourdough sandwich bread
- 2 Cups whole milk
- 1/4 Cup honey or Maple syrup
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 Cup active Sourdough Starter
- 6-7 Cups of White Bread Flour
for the egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- You will also need two standard size loaf pans.
Instructions for how to make soft sourdough sandwich bread
Step 1: Scald the milk
On the stove top in a medium sauce pan, combine the milk, honey, butter and salt. On medium heat, heat until the milk is steaming and you see bubbles around the edges- just before it comes to a boil.
Step 2: Cool the milk
Remove from heat and stir well to dissolve the honey. Allow the butter mixture to come down to room temperature.
Step 3: Combine the rest of the Ingredients
In the bowl of your stand mixer OR a mixing bowl (if kneading by hand), combine the milk mixture, one egg, the active sourdough starter and 6 cups of flour.
Step 4: Mix the dough
Mix the dough on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough comes together in a neat ball. If the dough is sticky when you press it with your finger, continue to add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough is tacky to the touch but not sticky.
that magic sourdough part…
Step 5: First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Place the dough in a well oiled bowl and turn it to coat the dough. Cover the dough with cling wrap and press tightly over the dough so that it does not form an undesirable “skin” on the surface. Leave the bowl someplace warm for 4-6 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Step 6: Shape and second rise
Once the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough into two equal parts. To begin shaping the dough, take one of the balls of dough and press it into a rectangle. Starting at one end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Gently pinch the ends and tuck them under the loaf. Place the loaf into a well oiled bread loaf pan. Repeat with the second loaf and place the both in a warm spot to rise again until they are doubled in size. This could take 4-6 more hours.
Step 7: Bake the loaves
When the dough has doubled in size again, brush it gently with an egg wash. (1 egg + 1 Tbsp water) and bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Step 8: Allow the crust to soften
Take the bread out of the oven and immediately brush the tops with butter. Place a thick towel over the tops of the loaves and allow them to rest untouched for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan. The bread is soft, but this step allows them to sweat in the pan, which makes the crust even more delightfully tender! After ten minutes, turn them out and slice! Voila! Soft, delicious, sourdough sandwich bread.
faq for this soft sourdough sandwich bread
The most likely cause is that your starter was not at peak when you began mixing the dough OR that your bread was just underproved. Sourdough rise time is very intuitive and can take a while depending on several factors, including the temperature of your home and the ingredients. It’s best to allow the bread to visibly double in size on the second rise especially in order to get a properly proved loaf.
The key to the crust being really soft and tender is to cover it with a thick towel as soon as it comes out of the oven. The bread will sweat under the towel and create absorb the moisture into the crust, softening it.
You want to make sure to add just the right amount of flour. If too much is added, you end up with a dry loaf. This recipe has you add 6 cups of flour, and then measure by the look and feel of the dough to determine whether or not more flour is needed. You want the dough to still be tacky to the touch when it begins bulk fermentation. Tacky means it feels slightly sticky- not dry- but not sticky enough to stick to your finger when you touch it.
Pro tip! Slice your bread from the center outward and store the remaining halves together in an airtight container or cling wrap. By pressing the ends together, the loaf retains moisture longer and keeps from drying out.
A longer fermentation time at cooler temperatures will produce a more sour loaf as well as spreading out your starter feedings so that it develops a stronger sour flavor.
YOU MAKE IT? LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A 5 star review BELOW OR TAG ME WITH A PIC ON INSTAGRAM @GOOD.TO.GATHER
Soft sourdough sandwich bread
Equipment
- 2 bread loaf pans
Ingredients
- 2 Cups whole milk
- 1/4 Cup honey or Maple syrup
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 Cup active Sourdough Starter
- 6-7 Cups of White Bread Flour
egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- On the stove top in a medium sauce pan, combine the milk, honey, butter and salt. On medium heat, heat until the milk is steaming and you see bubbles around the edges- just before it comes to a boil.2 Cups whole milk, 1/4 Cup honey or Maple syrup, 1/4 cup butter, 1 Tbsp Salt
- Remove from heat and stir well to dissolve the honey. Allow the butter mixture to come down to room temperature.
- Once at room temperature, in the bowl of your stand mixer OR a mixing bowl (if kneading by hand), combine the cooled milk mixture, one egg, the active sourdough starter and 6 cups of flour.1 large egg, 1 Cup active Sourdough Starter, 6-7 Cups of White Bread Flour
- Mix the dough on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough comes together in a neat ball. If the dough is sticky when you press it with your finger, continue to add 1/4 cup of flour at a time until the dough is tacky to the touch but not sticky.
- Place the dough in a well oiled bowl and turn it to coat the dough. Cover the dough with cling wrap and press tightly over the dough so that it does not form an undesirable "skin" on the surface. Leave the bowl someplace warm for 4-6 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, divide the dough into two equal parts. To begin shaping the dough, take one of the balls of dough and press it into a rectangle. Starting at one end, roll the dough tightly into a log. Gently pinch the ends and tuck them under the loaf. Place the loaf into a well oiled bread loaf pan. Repeat with the second loaf and place the both in a warm spot to rise again until they are doubled in size. This could take 4-6 more hours.
- When the dough has doubled in size again, brush it gently with a egg wash. (1 egg + 1 Tbsp water) and bake at 350 for 1 hour. The crust will be a deep caramel color.1 egg, 1 Tbsp water
- Take the bread out of the oven and immediately brush the tops generously with butter. Place a thick towel over the tops of the loaves and allow them to rest untouched for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan. (The bread is soft, but this step allows them to sweat in the pan, which makes the crust even more delightfully tender!) After ten minutes, turn them out and slice! Voila! Soft, delicious, sourdough sandwich bread.
