Wee Feast

I’d like to think one of my better traits is loyalty. I would also describe myself as constant. Even when I’m being spontaneous—up and quitting my job, for example—it’s not really a deviation from the norm. After the congratulations, I usually also got an “I’m not surprised.”

One of those constancy traits that shows up is when I find a cook or baker whose work I admire, I keep following his or her recipes until the cows come home. So it goes with a small handful in my recent cooking and baking past: Deborah Madison, Dorie Greenspan, Ina Garten, Deb from Smitten Kitchen. Today is another Smitten Kitchen recipe. Even though my mom is always, “You got a recipe online?” they tend to turn out supremely awesome.

That was a long and complicated back story just to say, I hope you’re not bored with my recipes yet.

Today I wanted to talk to you about making your own sandwich bread. This goes on the list of things I make myself that people find amusing since they are typical “convenience foods.” This list includes: salad dressing, ice cream, frozen cookie dough, pizza, and I am sure many others. I like making my own. You should give it a try.

Light wheat sandwich bread

from Smitten Kitchen, with a few changes

• Stir to combine 2 1/2 c unbleached flour (use bread flour if you have it, I did not), 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 tbs sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher, you can use regular iodized or sea salt as well. If you use sea salt, it’s really quite salty, so reduce this amount to a little less than 1 tsp), and 1 1/2 tsp instant (fast-acting) yeast.
• Mix in 2 tbs shortening or softened butter (I used shortening. Hi, I’m Southern.).
• Measure out 1 1/4 c warm-ish water. Not hot enough to kill the yeast, but warm enough to get it going. I’d say around 80 degrees F.
• If you’re lucky enough to have been recently gifted with a mixer, stir on low speed while you slowly add in the water until the ingredients form a dough ball. If you need more water, use it. Then switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 6 minutes.
• If you are making this bread by hand, slowly add the water, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber scraper until combined. If you need more water, use it. Then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but not tough, about 10 minutes.
• Oil a bowl, and let your kneaded dough rise (covered) in it about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
• Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently deflate to form into a rectangle about 10 inches long, an inch thick, and maybe 7 inches wide. This is like making cinnamon rolls. Now roll up your dough tightly, and then place in your loaf pan to rise (covered) another hour.
• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Remove plastic wrap or towel from loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate, bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack for a few hours.
• Slice and make wonderful sandwiches. Store in freezer sooner, rather than later, so you can use up the whole loaf before it gets stale. Or just enjoy 12 grilled cheese sandwiches in about 3 days.