Sourdough Sandwich Bread
⭐ What makes this special
- Soft sandwich texture (not too crusty)
- Light tangy sourdough flavor
- Long fermentation = better digestion + taste
- Stays fresh longer than regular bread
🧾 Ingredients
Dough:
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 1 cup warm milk (or water)
- 2 tbsp sugar or honey
- 2 tbsp butter (soft)
- 1½ tsp salt
Optional (for softer sandwich bread):
- 1 tbsp milk powder (improves softness)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (extra tenderness)
👩🍳 Step 1: Check your starter (VERY important)
Your sourdough starter should be:
- Bubbly
- Doubled in size
- Smell slightly tangy, not sour or rotten
👉 If it’s weak, your bread won’t rise properly.
👩🍳 Step 2: Mix the dough
In a large bowl:
- Add warm milk + sourdough starter
- Mix until starter dissolves
- Add sugar, butter, salt
Now add flour gradually.
👉 Mix until a rough dough forms
👩🍳 Step 3: Kneading
- Knead for 8–12 minutes
- Dough should become:
- Smooth
- Elastic
- Slightly tacky (not sticky)
👉 You can also use stand mixer (5–6 min)
👩🍳 Step 4: First fermentation (bulk rise)
- Cover dough
- Let it rest 6–10 hours at room temperature
(or overnight)
👉 Dough should double in size
👩🍳 Step 5: Shape the loaf
- Lightly punch down dough
- Shape into a rectangle
- Roll tightly like a log
- Place in greased loaf pan
👉 This shape gives perfect sandwich slices
👩🍳 Step 6: Second rise (proofing)
- Cover pan
- Let rise 2–4 hours
👉 Dough should rise above pan edge slightly
🔥 Step 7: Bake
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
Bake:
- 30–40 minutes
Check doneness:
- Golden brown top
- Hollow sound when tapped
🧈 Step 8: Butter finish (pro tip)
- Brush hot bread with butter
👉 Makes crust soft and shiny
❄️ Step 9: Cooling
- Let it cool at least 1 hour
- Then slice
👉 Cutting too early makes it gummy inside
🧠 Important Tips
✔ Starter is everything
Weak starter = dense bread
✔ Don’t rush fermentation
Slow rise = better flavor + texture
✔ Milk makes it softer
Water gives stronger sourdough crust
✔ Overbaking dries bread
Remove as soon as golden
🍽️ How to use
- Sandwiches 🥪
- Toast with butter 🍞
- Garlic bread 🧄
- Grilled cheese 🧀
- French toast 🍯
🔥 Variations
1. Soft milk bread sourdough
- Replace half water with milk
- Add extra butter
2. Whole wheat version
- Replace 50% flour with whole wheat flour
3. Sweet sandwich loaf
- Add 2 extra tbsp sugar + vanilla
🧁 Texture result
- Soft crumb like bakery bread
- Slight tangy sourdough flavor
- Light but structured slices
