For me, store-bought sandwich bread lacks good flavor and texture and usually contains way too many preservatives. The recipes in this post are easy to make and will reward you with great tasting bread for sandwiches and toast. Most ingredients are easy to find, however the ingredients for the rye bread include rye and pumpernickel flour. If you cannot find pumpernickel flour, use all rye flour in the recipe. I also use a flavoring made by the King Arthur flour company called deli rye flavor. If you do not have access to this ingredient, just substitute dried onion.

To always have fresh bread available, I slice each loaf in 1/2 inch slices and place them in a freezer ziplock bag. Bread slices can be removed, a slice at a time, and they defrost within a half hour. This is so handy.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter, at room temperature
  
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
  
• 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  
• 2 tablespoons whole grain bread improver or vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in an electric mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes. (this step helps the gluten develop.

Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough until fairly smooth and slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until almost doubled, about 90 minutes.

Gently fold the dough over a few times on a lightly floured work surface.

Shape it into an 8″ log, and place it in a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

Cover the loaf and let it rise until it’s crowned 1″ over the rim of the pan, about 60 to 90 minutes.

Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center registers 205°F to 210°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, let it sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool.

Seeded Rye Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  
• 1 cup rye flour
  
• 1/4 cup pumpernickel flour
  
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  
• 2 teaspoons Deli Rye Flavor or dried onion
  
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
  
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in an electric mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.

Let the dough rest, covered, for 20 minutes. (this step helps the gluten develop.

Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough until fairly smooth and slightly sticky.

Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise till doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and shape it into an oval.

Place the dough in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, tent it with lightly greased plastic wrap and set it aside until doubled in bulk and risen 1 inch over the lip of the pan, about 1 hour.

Bake the bread in a preheated 375°F oven for 35 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and tests done (the interior of the loaf will read 190°F on an instant-read thermometer).

Remove the bread from the oven, remove it from the pan, and cool completely on a rack.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Bread, Healthy Italian Cooking, rye, sourdough, wheat Tags: sandwich bread recipes