Description

Adapted from my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs.

This recipe is very similar to the one in my book, but I’ve added weights for all of the ingredients, and instead of simply dividing the dough and plopping it into bread pans, I now like to turn it out onto a floured work surface, divide it into two even portions (by weight), and shape it before transferring it to the buttered loaf pans.

To create a warm spot for your bread to rise, turn your oven on for one minute, then shut it off. That brief blast of heat will create a cozy place for your bread to rise.

As always: for best results, use a digital scale to weigh the ingredients.

For a half recipe, see the notes below.

Water: This is a very wet dough. If you live in a humid area or you have trouble working with sticky doughs, I would start with 1.75 cups (425 g). Reference the photos above and the video for how sticky/wet the dough should appear.

If using active dry yeast: Sprinkle the yeast over the whisked together wet ingredients (which should be lukewarm to the touch) and let stand for 15 minutes or until it gets foamy; then proceed with the recipe.

To freeze: Let the dough cool completely, then tuck into an airtight bag or vessel and freeze for up to 3 months (or a bit longer).

Ingredients

6 cups (768 g) all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon (15 g) kosher salt
2.5 teaspoons (8 g) instant yeast, see notes above if using active dry yeast
1/3 cup (77 g) sugar
1.75 –2 cups (425-450 g) lukewarm water, see notes above
2 eggs (100 g)
1/2 cup (125 g) milk
6 tablespoons (80 g) butter, melted

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Instructions

Whisk together the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, water, and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir with a spatula till you have a sticky dough ball.
Cover bowl and let rise in a warm area (see notes above) for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled. Alternatively, stick bowl in the fridge immediately and let it rise overnight or for 12 to 18 hours.
Grease two 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pans with butter. Heat your oven to 375ºF.
There are two ways to proceed after the first rise: 1. You can simply deflate the dough using forks to release the dough from the sides of the bowl and to divide it into two equal portions; then use oiled hands to transfer the dough to your prepared pans. (Dough is very wet and sticky—this is normal.) 2. Or you can cover a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured work surface and shape it into a rough ball, using as much flour as necessary—the dough is very wet and sticky. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two equal portions. (Depending on how much water you are using, each portion will weigh between 790-805 grams.) Shape each portion into an oblong loaf or batard (see video guidance here) and transfer to prepared loaf pans.
Let rise until dough begins to crown the rim of your pan. This may take 45 minutes to an hour (or more or less depending on how warm your kitchen is).
Transfer pans to oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until evenly golden or until an instant-read thermometer registers 205ºF or higher. Turn loaves out onto cooling racks and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.