Sesame Sandwich Loaf
Soft and fluffy white bread, perfect for everyday sandwiches, grilled cheese, or even bread pudding.
You’ll need:
A stand mixer with a dough hook
This is an enriched dough (meaning it has butter and egg added) and that means it can be a sticky gross mess. You can ABSOLUTELY do this by hand–I’ve done so several times myself–but you’ll feel a lot happier using a stand mixer.
Bread Flour
High gluten flour is necessary for a big lift and squishy fluffiness.
Tangzhong
This is part of the recipe, and you’ll want to make this first. It’s basically a gelatinized starch pudding that super-hydrates the dough, and will keep it fresh for much longer.
Egg, Milk, and Butter
These ingredients mean it’s an enriched dough, on it’s way to a brioche but not so decadent.
Active Dry Yeast
You can use instant if you have it, but I have not tested that. I bloom the Active Dry yeast in the warm milk first to make sure it’s alive.
Loaf Pan
My 12″x4″ pan is an unusual size. It’s quite long, and a little skinnier than a typical 9″x5″ pan. I separated my dough into four rolls for my pan, you may want to do only three.
Topping
I like white, un-toasted sesame seeds but you could use poppy seeds, everything bagel seasoning, oats, or keep it plain!
Tips for Sandwich Loaf Success
- Don’t overcook the tangzhong. It’ll come together pretty quickly (around 150F), and once all the loose liquid is absorbed, take it off the heat. It will have a soft pudding texture.
- Use a thermometer to check your milk temperature so you don’t kill your yeast. And make sure your tangzhong is room temperature before adding it to the mixer.
- If your home is cold, try turning on the light in your oven and proofing the dough there. Be careful to remove the dough before preheating your oven though–that would be a disaster!
Sesame Sandwich Loaf
Soft and fluffy white bread, perfect for everyday sandwiches, grilled cheese, or bread pudding. Yum!
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 25 g bread flour
- 125 g water
Dough
- 350 g bread flour
- 125 ml whole milk warm (95°F)
- 2¼ tsp Active Dry yeast
- 60 g sugar
- 5 g salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- 30 g butter room temperature
Topping
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds raw
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp water
Method
Make the Tangzhong
- Cook flour and water over medium heat, stirring constantly, until water is absorbed and a paste forms (texture should be similar to pudding). Set aside to cool.
Make the Dough
- Activate yeast in warm milk for 5 to 10 minutes. Yeast should be foamy.
- Whisk together bread flour, sugar, and salt, and add to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
- Add egg, milk and yeast mixture, and all of the cooled tangzhong to the dry ingredients. Mix until dough pulls away from the side of the mixer and gluten forms a window. This could take 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the butter in small chunks and mix until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Place dough into an oiled bowl, flipping once so top is covered in oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or lid and proof in a warm spot until doubled, ~40 minutes to an hour.
Shape the Loaf
- Once doubled, turn dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and divide evenly into 3 or 4 pieces.
- First, roll each piece out individually to squish any large air bubbles out. Then fold two opposite sides into the center, to form a long oval shape.
- Roll the oval up to form a spiral, like a cinnamon roll. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
- Place each dough roll into a loaf tray, seam side down, with the spiral side pointing outward. The rolls should be almost touching, but leave room for growth as it proves.
- Cover with a plastic wrap or a damp towel and prove for an additional 40 minutes, until rolls are puffy and pass the poke test.
Bake the Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack positioned in the middle.
- Mix egg with water to make an egg wash, and gently brush on the proofed loaf.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds (or topping of your choice).
- Bake at 350°F for 25+ minutes, until the top is golden brown and the interior temperature reaches 205°F
