Basic Sandwich Bread

This makes the kind of sandwich that’s obviously homemade – a soft, tender bread that almost melts in your mouth. Is also very good toasted, in a strata, or used as french toast.

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon yeast
1 cup wheat flour
3 – 4 cups white flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened

Mix the water and cream, then whisk in the honey and yeast. Allow to foam up a bit while you gather the other ingredients. To the yeast mixture add the wheat flour, about half of the white flour, the salt, eggs, and butter. Mix together, breaking up the butter. Add the remaining flour gradually until the whole mass of dough scrapes away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. The dough should be semi-firm, with a tacky texture (think the back of a Post-It note). Knead about 10 minutes, adding small amounts of flour as required. Place in an oiled bowl and allow to rise until double in size, 1 to 2 hours. Punch down, divide, briefly knead and place into two oiled loaf pans, or shape into two peasant-style loaves and put on a baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 350. When hot, add the loaves and bake about 40 minutes or until dark golden brown. Do not over- or undercook! Allow to cool a bit in the pans before turning out on a rack. Can be eaten hot or saved.

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