BASIC WHITE SANDWICH Yeast BREAD
1/2 cup lukewarm water………………......2 tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar……………………………..........….1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour…………......…….1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 TB sugar……………………………........1/4 cup (4 TB) melted butter
1/4 cup milk (any kind ~ I like unsweetened almond or cashew milk)
1/4 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
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Put water, yeast and teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Stir to combine and leave at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes until doubled in volume (and yeast is a little foamy).
Put 3 cups of flour into electric mixer and make a well in the middle. Pour yeast mixture, egg, sugar, salt and melted butter into well. Make sure you have the dough hook attachment on your mixer; and turn on low. Start mixing, and drizzle in milk until it’s mixed in. (This may take a while, and you may have to stop & scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.) Then slowly add remaining flour until dough forms a soft and elastic ball.
Put dough into a big greased bowl (I spray it with buttery non-stick spray); turn it over so all sides are “greasy”. Then cover with a dish towel and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in volume. (I put it on top of the dishwasher or clothes dryer and run a load, so it’s nice & warm.)
When dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a log. Put it into a greased 9” loaf pan, cover and let rest again at room temperature for another 30 minutes. (TIP: put the covered loaf on the counter next to the oven while you pre-heat it ~ the warmth will help it with the last rise)
In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 375F. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly in the pan before removing it. Cool completely before slicing (I find it’s easiest to slice if I turn the loaf on its side ~ and use a long serrated knife).