Sandwich Bread HELP!!

[dfunk98]

I've been trying to make our family's sandwich bread for the last 2 weeks. None of my attempts came close to what I was looking for. This is the bread we used to eat. Soft, light texture. It had that stick-to-the-roof of your mouth quality that I love and a nice soft crust. Am I asking too much? Is it possible to bake soft sandwich bread like this at home?

Here are the recipes I've tried:
First Attempt (post #12) This one tasted pretty good and looked beautiful when it came out of the oven, but it wasn't wide enough. I have since switched to a bigger pan. Also wasn't crazy about the texture. I can't really describe what it was like, but it wasn't that soft, squishy type I'm after.

Second Attempt
This one probably came the closest, taste-wise. Texture was way too chewy and the crust was rock hard. Think maybe I need to add gluten and/or powdered milk?

Third Attempt (post #5)
Total bust!! I don't know what I did wrong, here, but the loaf didn't rise the second time. I just took it out of the oven and the top is all hole-y, like english muffins or something. Smells good though. Oh, well, we'll be making french toast out of it for dinner.

Any advice, mamas? I really would like to get this right!! DH wants me to pick him up some wonder bread (!) for his work lunches. I would really love to make a nice, "white" loaf, for him, too, but I need to crack this wheat bread mystery first. Please, PLEASE help me bake yummy soft sandwich bread!!

[Dandelionkid]

Hi,
I think a large part of my success is d/t bosch but for what it is worth this recipe http://www.healthbanquet.com/homemade-bread.html has been very good to me. The vinegar acts as a dough enhancer but I would probably freeze it after 24 hrs to keep it as soft as possible for sandwiches.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38111350@N08/

Good luck!

[mamadelbosque]

I've been making bread out of Laurel's bread book. This week I made the Molasses bread for the first time and it turned out pretty good. Though I think next time I might make a recipe & a half to make it a little thicker/taller (I did that for their basic whole wheat bread a few times and it made nice big, thick loaves). I also made the milk bread once and thought it was pretty good. Might have to try it again sometime

[dfunk98]

i have laurel's bread book on hold at my library, but i need some bread in the meantime. anyone else?

[lil_earthmomma]

Switch whatever water your recipe calls for for milk, and you will get a softer crust and fluffier crumb.

When the bread comes out you can brush a little butter over the crust to keep it soft.

:

[FitMOmmyOf2]

Thank you for starting this thread! I was wondering about the same thing as all my home made breads turn out more on the harder/chewy side and while DH and I don't necessarily mind, our kids absolutely refuse to eat it and I caved in and started buying bread again..
I'll have to try one of the suggested recipes!

[dfunk98]

still having no luck!!

Originally Posted by dfunk98

Second Attempt
This one probably came the closest, taste-wise. Texture was way too chewy and the crust was rock hard. Think maybe I need to add gluten and/or powdered milk?

ok, so it tried this with my posted suggestions. instead of powdered milk, i used 2 cups milk and 1 cup water. i reduced the liquid from 3 1/2 to 3, bc last time the dough was way too sticky. so today, the dough came together beautifully. the first rise was great. second rise, eh. the directions say to cover the dough with plastic wrap sprayed with oil. ok, did that. but when o oh-so-gently peeled ot off the pan, the dough sank and didn't rise at all in the oven. not one bit. and the crust is rock hard. what am i doing wrong? i am really getting frustrated!! there is only so much i can do with this mediocre bread!! last night, we had french toast. tonight, panzanella salad. i've had enough!! all i want is a sandwich!!

[FitMOmmyOf2]

mama,
I hope someone can guide you in the right direction! I use my bread machine for all of my breads but have yet to find a real sandwhich style recipe... The only thing I realized was that when I replace butter with olive oil, the bread is somewhat more 'spongy' vs. harder.

[jtsmom]

http://www.recipezaar.com/Awesome-Ho...-Machine-75061

I'm a dork and don't know how to make bread for real, so I make it in the bread machine. This is the recipe I love, and it would be good for sandwiches, I think. I substitute butter for the shortening, and use half whole wheat flour and it comes out beautifully. Maybe you could adapt this recipe without a machine?

[dfunk98]

thanks jtsmom!! i'm going to give that one a try. i do have a bread machine, but i don't like baking in it bc i like high, wide loaves, not high narrow ones. i know, i'm complicated!! i just made a loaf in my bread machine and now it's doing it's second rise. we'll see how this one turns out, i'll keep you posted.

on another note, we'll be making some bread pudding this weekend

[Mere]

Here is a recipe that has been working out really well for me. My measuring is really, um, approximate...sorry about that, but it should be okay! I make my bread in my KitchenAid and it is super easy.

First:
Melt in a small saucepan - 3T butter, 1/4 cup honey, 1.75 cups water, ~1t salt. Let it cool until it's warm to the touch, but not hot any more.

Meanwhile, soften 1 cup 7 grain cereal in 1 cup water.

In mixer bowl, add 1 cup each white and whole wheat flour, 2.5 t yeast, 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup ground flax seed, 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten. Mix. Then add everything else, and keep adding ww flour until it reaches the right consistency. I let the machine knead it for ~5 minutes. Let rise in a bowl (with well buttered plastic wrap covering it), then move to pans and let rise again. Bake at 375 until it reaches an internal temp of 180 (check with meat thermometer). This time varies, depending on what pan I use.

[Daisie125]

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2009/...torage-recipes

Seriously, I am just gonna post this everywhere until everyone tries it

[jtsmom]

Daisie, that looks like an interesting site, thank you! I may just try that bread.

I also should mention that whenever we have any leftovers of the awesome bread machine bread that I posted, it makes really good croutons. I just drizzle it with some melted butter and sprinkle lots of garlic powder on it, then bake it til it's starting to brown on the edges, then let it cool. : This bread makes much better croutons than storebought.

[dfunk98]

Daisie, i've seen you post that recipe before, lol. i will try it, promise, but i think i just broke my unlucky streak. i finally made some soft, yummy bread, whoohoo!! and where did i find the recipe? in my gold medal flour bread machine cookbook, duh!! i have made about 10 recipes from it, but always did it start to finish in my bread machine (except pizza dough). never occurred to me to just run it on the dough cycle, punch it down, let it rise again and bake. it was staring me in the face the whole time. how embarrasing!!

anywho, here's the recipe in case anyone is interested:
1 1/2 c. water
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup honey
2 1//4 c. bread flour (i use ka)
2 c. whole wheat flour (again ka)
2 tbs. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. dry milk
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

pour ingredients in bread machine as ordered my manufacturer. when timer goes off, punch down, shape and place on loaf pan. let rise again. bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. makes 1 2 lb. loaf.

ENJOY!!

[FitMOmmyOf2]

Originally Posted by dfunk98

never occurred to me to just run it on the dough cycle, punch it down, let it rise again and bake.

when timer goes off, punch down, shape and place on loaf pan. let rise again. bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. makes 1 2 lb. loaf.

ENJOY!!

Ok, so in other words, it's better to let the machine just make the dough and not let it bake in there but transfer it into a loaf and and into the oven?
Hmm.. will have to try that and see if there's a difference!

Thanks for the recipes all you moms! I'll try each and every one!

[HappiLeigh]

I've not tried it, but I've always seen this pan in catalogs, and it is supposed to minimize bread crust.

[mrs joe bubby]

Originally Posted by FitMOmmyOf2

Ok, so in other words, it's better to let the machine just make the dough and not let it bake in there but transfer it into a loaf and and into the oven?
Hmm.. will have to try that and see if there's a difference!

I know you didn't ask me but I never actually bake the bread in the machine. It makes such a weird loaf and just doesn't come out as well. I let the machine mix the dough then shape, let rise again, and bake it in the oven. :

[Daisie125]

Originally Posted by dfunk98

Daisie, i've seen you post that recipe before, lol. i will try it, promise, but i think i just broke my unlucky streak. i finally made some soft, yummy bread, whoohoo!! and where did i find the recipe? in my gold medal flour bread machine cookbook, duh!! i have made about 10 recipes from it, but always did it start to finish in my bread machine (except pizza dough). never occurred to me to just run it on the dough cycle, punch it down, let it rise again and bake. it was staring me in the face the whole time. how embarrasing!!

anywho, here's the recipe in case anyone is interested:
1 1/2 c. water
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup honey
2 1//4 c. bread flour (i use ka)
2 c. whole wheat flour (again ka)
2 tbs. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. dry milk
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

pour ingredients in bread machine as ordered my manufacturer. when timer goes off, punch down, shape and place on loaf pan. let rise again. bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. makes 1 2 lb. loaf.

ENJOY!!

Oh, see, I've always been able to do bread if I use some white flour. My issue has been 100% whole wheat flour because that is all we buy... the recipe I posted only uses whole wheat.

[FitMOmmyOf2]

Originally Posted by HappiLeigh

I've not tried it, but I've always seen this pan in catalogs, and it is supposed to minimize bread crust.

Yummy sounding recipes, but the pan itself is quite pricy! *eek*

[FitMOmmyOf2]

Originally Posted by mrs joe bubby

I know you didn't ask me but I never actually bake the bread in the machine. It makes such a weird loaf and just doesn't come out as well. I let the machine mix the dough then shape, let rise again, and bake it in the oven. :

*lol* That's ok, I'm glad you replied!
See I always let the machine make it as I thought that's what I got the machine for!
I assume I will need a loaf pan then for the oven? (I tried something bread-like once in the oven and the whole 'loaf' just poofed to the sides and ended up being almost naan-like! LOL)