Topic: Basic Sandwich Bread

[ProfJayRob]

basic sandwich bread, using a pre-ferment/poolish

pre-ferment:
1cup-plain flour
1/4tsp-salt
1/4tsp-active dry yeast
1/2cup-warm water

The night before you are going to do your baking mix all the ingredients into a dough ball and dump onto a floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes and place into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic cling film. Put it in the refrigerator and go on to bed.

When you get up the next day take out your poolish and let sit out, still covered, for at least an hour.
During that hour combine the following in your large mixing bowl:
1cup-plain flour
1/2 cup-whole wheat flour
1/2 cup-oat meal flour (this can be made by running dry oat meal through your food processor or blender)
1tsp-salt
1tsp-active dry yeast

when the hour has lapsed on your poolish, punch it down and cut into 8-12 pieces and mix it in with the dry ingredients. Then add one cup of warm water and stir until you get a dough ball. Dump it onto floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes, form into a ball and place into an oiled/greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel or cloth until it doubles in size (about 90 minutes). Punch it down and put it back into the bowl and allow to rise/ferment again. After the second rise, punch it down and either form it into a loaf or place in a loaf pan. Cover and let proof for 60-90 minutes. Preheat oven to 375-400 F. Bake 15-20 minutes.

The neat thing about this recipe is the ways it can be varied. Of course you can do it with all plain flour. Vary the hydration (in this case I made the water 50% of the dry ingredients, you can hydrate up to 75% but remember that the dough will be very sticky if you do). You can vary the rising times or leave out the poolish altogether). All of those variations affect the flavor.

[Dianna]

 

I read poolish as polish the first time I read this. I am thinking it is a good thing that I re-read it because I was thinking the lemon flavored polish might make a yummy tasting bread...

Thank you for sharing this. It sounds wonderful...

ETA: Remember that I am the taste-tester for all of you that bake this. Don't forget to send me your first loaf...

 

[landofoz]

I'm making BBQ shredded beef on Friday and I'm thinking I will have to make this (I found 5 unopened jars of yeast in the fridge when I cleaned it yesterday  )!! 

[ProfJayRob]

I read poolish as polish the first time I read this. I am thinking it is a good thing that I re-read it because I was thinking the lemon flavored polish might make a yummy tasting bread...

Thank you for sharing this. It sounds wonderful...

ETA: Remember that I am the taste-tester for all of you that bake this. Don't forget to send me your first loaf...

 

That is the beauty of this recipe. As long as you maintain the ratio of dry ingredients:liquid you can do almost anything with it

[bayou girl]

yum, thanks for posting this.  i think i will try it myself this weekend.  i don't *think* we have anything on the docket...

[bestofour]

I have never bought  yeast.  Guess  you know where my bread comes from.  When you  make this send me a slice.

[landofoz]

Would you like me to send you a jar of yeast with that slice, Sheri?  I've got plenty. 

[bestofour]

No thanks.  Just send another slice of the bed.

[landofoz]

The bread was really tasty.  I was impatient (shocker, I know) and popped it in the oven before it had fully proofed the final time.  Due to this, it was a little dense but fantastic.  The girls loved it and actually fought over the last 2 slices.  I subbed in wheat germ for the wheat flour.  Thanks for the great recipe!

[Dianna]

 

Sarah Loo, you were supposed to send me the first loaf! 

[landofoz]

Whooops.      

[ProfJayRob]

The bread was really tasty.  I was impatient (shocker, I know) and popped it in the oven before it had fully proofed the final time.  Due to this, it was a little dense but fantastic.  The girls loved it and actually fought over the last 2 slices.  I subbed in wheat germ for the wheat flour.  Thanks for the great recipe!

Hey, I've loafed after the first rising. It was a little bland, but it was supposed to be sandwich bread