This beautiful and fluffy country white sandwich bread contains no added preservatives. It's so much better than your favorite store-bought white bread.
01PROOF YEAST: Combine the warm milk (454 grams/ 2 cups), warm water (120 grams/ ½ cup), yeast(2 ¼ teaspoons/ 1 package) and a pinch of the sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the yeast dissolves. Let this mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes. If it is slightly foamy and you can see bubbles forming on top, then your yeast is active. If you don't see any activity, your yeast is likely too old.
02MIX DOUGH: Add the diced butter (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons), rest of the sugar (50 grams/ ¼ cup), salt (2 teaspoons), and the smallest amount of flour listed (780 grams/ 6 ½ cups) to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon, bowl scraper, or clean hands until all the flour is hydrated and the ingredients are well incorporated. At this point the dough will likely be very sticky and shaggy. Do not add any more flour yet.
03KNEAD: If kneading the dough by hand, dust a work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto the work surface. Dust flour over the top of the dough and begin kneading it. Add a bit more flour as needed up to 1 more cup. The dough should feel soft and sticky, but it shouldn't be gluing itself to the counter or your hands. Watch the video tutorial if you are unfamiliar with kneading by hand. Alternatively, you can add the dough to the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the dough hook and knead it on medium-high speed. Add more flour bit by bit to the stand mixer until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, knead for about 8-10 minutes. If kneading in the stand mixer, knead for 6-8 minutes. When the dough is smooth and elastic and springs back when a finger is pressed into it, you are done kneading.
04BULK FERMENT (1ST RISE): Grease a clean bowl with a bit of oil or non-stick spray and transfer your dough to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the dough with a damp towel or a piece of plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until double in size and filled with air. This will take about 1 hour if using instant yeast and 2 hours if using active dry yeast.
05SHAPE: Grease one or two standard loaf pans on the sides and bottoms. Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured surface and lightly push the air out of the dough with the palm of your hand. Cut the dough into two equal pieces if making a full batch. Gently pat each piece of dough into a rectangle (about the shape of the loaf pan). Tightly form each piece of dough into a loaf. (Watch the video tutorial for details about how to properly do this.)
06PROOF (2ND RISE): Place the formed loaves into the pans and gently press down on them with the palm of your hand to ensure they evenly fill the pan. Cover the shaped dough and let them proof at room temperature until the loaves are beginning to crown the pan. This will take about 1 hour for instant yeast and 2 hours for active dry yeast.
07BAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If you want a shiny brown crust, mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it on the tops of your loaves. Bake loaves on the center rack for 35-45 minutes until golden brown. The center of the loaves should read 190-200°F (87-93°C) when fully baked. Let cool on baking racks for at least 1 hour (if not longer) before slicing with a serrated knife.
08STORE cooled bread in a plastic bag at room temperature for 4 days. Alternatively, you can slice the loaves and place them in the freezer in a freezer bag. Toast to refresh. Refrigerating bread will cause it to stale more quickly.