Perfect Sandwich Bread with Fresh Milled Flour
My neighbor and friend was the one who encouraged me to start milling my own flour at home from wheat berries. I’m extremely grateful that she did. The flavor and nutritional benefits are incredible. When I decided that I’d start making sandwich bread for our family, I knew that it would add work to my life. Let me just say, it’s so worth it! As soon as I tasted my own amazing homemade bread with fresh milled flour, I knew I’d never go back to that bread in the grocery store (or buy store bought flour). The flavor is so outstanding that it’s hard to describe. I love adding in a little bit of Einkorn wheat berries because of the unique and delicious flavor it adds to the bread. Be prepared to have the best grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich of your life.
This bread isn’t difficult to make. My mixer does most of the work. This recipe makes two loaves. I bake bread every other weekend for our family of four. I freeze one of the loaves until I’m ready for it. Just let the loaf thaw on the counter for a couple hours, it tastes like it was never frozen. I’d recommend keeping the bread at room temperature or frozen. The refrigerator will dry it out.
Shaping Steps
I use a method by King Arthur Flour to shape the loaves. Here is the video I followed to learn how to shape sandwich loaves. The steps are shown in photos below.
Then cup the dough gently and transfer to the prepared pans.
Perfect Sandwich Bread with Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients
- 650 grams wheat berries (540 grams hard white, 110 grams Einkorn)
- 440 grams water, slightly warm
- 40 grams (3 tablespoons) olive oil
- 84 grams (1/4 cup) honey
- 20 grams (2 tablespoons) vital wheat gluten
- 12 grams (1 1/2 tablespoons) sunflower lecithin
- 14 grams fine sea salt
- 13 grams instant yeast
Instructions
- Mill the wheat berries.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water, olive oil, honey, vital wheat gluten and sunflower lecithin. Give it a quick whisk to combine. Next, add the flour and knead on low with the dough hook until no dry flour remains. Cover the bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
- After the rest period (autolyse) add the salt and instant yeast, knead on speed 2 (Kitchenaid stand mixer) for 10-12 minutes, until dough passes the windowpane test. While the dough is kneading, lightly oil a clear sided proofing vessel. Transfer the dough to the proofing vessel and let rise until doubled, usually takes 45 minutes – 1 hour. While the dough is rising, lightly spray two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans with cooking spray, set aside.
- Once the dough has doubled, weigh it and divide it into two equal rectangles. Shape using the instructions shown above. Place each loaf into the prepared pans. Let the loaves rise uncovered. When the dough reaches the top of the pan, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the dough is an inch above the top of the pan, put the pans in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the dough reaches an internal temperature of 205 degrees.
- Immediately or within a couple minutes of taking the bread out of the oven, remove it from the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Once cool, the bread loaves can be frozen up to 3 months.
I think this is my new favorite bread recipe. I really needed the shaping instructions. My bread didn’t have the air pockets it usually has. Thanks Laura!
That’s great to hear! Glad the shaping instructions were helpful!