Let me preface this by saying that this is a work in progress. I wanted to make sandwich bread, classic white bread, pan de mie, something simple and delicious. I briefly considered Japanese milk bread but I also wanted something easy. The longer I cook, the less I appreciate complicated bread recipes with a variety fermentations. The finished breads may be delicious, but are they special enough to warrant the increased amount of effort that goes into them? Too often, the answer is no. So I was looking for something simple that would still yield a bread that was tender, soft, and slightly sweet. It needed to have a fine crumb and a subtle chew that would stand up to myriad fillings and hold together, as all good sandwiches should. I read through a variety of recipes online and settled on a hybrid test loaf using a combination of einkorn and bread flours with a single egg, milk, condensed milk, butter, salt and yeast. Although I was tempted to make a roux with a portion of the flour, I resisted, sticking to my goal of simple. I did use the stand mixer and mixed the rather soft and sticky dough on low speed with the paddle for twenty minutes. This was not a hardship, as I set a timer and walked away. Was it necessary? I'm not sure. I mostly did it so that next time, when I make the no-knead version, I'll be able to tell if it makes a difference. The finished bread is beautiful, it looks exactly as I imagined it. The crumb is slightly drier than I was looking for and slightly lacking in salt. I'm still debating the level of sweetness and wondering if I can tease out a bit more flavor without getting too yeasty. It's a great start, and we will enjoy this loaf. My mind is already sprinting ahead, tinkering with ingredients and mapping out the next loaf. It's the journey that get my juices flowing.
Years Past
Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work
Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook
Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table
