GODMOTHER'S HOMEMADE SANDWHICH BREAD

GODMOTHER'S HOMEMADE SANDWHICH BREAD image

Yield 2 Loaves

Number Of Ingredients 9

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3 ½ cups water
4 ¼ teaspoons yeast (or a packet, or a cube, or whatever else you might be using for yeast.)
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons kosher or flaked sea salt
2 cups whole-wheat bread flour
6 to 7 cups white bread flour (preferably unbleached and stone-ground
four 8½X4½X2¾ breadpans, or 3 9X5X3 loaf pans, lightly greased

Steps:

Place the butter, honey, salt, egg, whole wheat flour, and yeast in a large bowl or bucket. Add hot water (just hot enough that you wouldn't want to wash your hands under it) and stir until the butter is melted. Add yeast and allow to proof until the mixture is slightly frothy. Uncover the sponge and slowly work in some of the white flour, about ½ cup at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir. Once all the flour has been integrated, cover the dough and allow to rise until doubled in size (about an hour in a warm kitchen). Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until pliable and no longer sticky. Divide the dough into enough equal pieces to fill your loaf pans. Roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin until about ½ inch thick. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll, then return to the loaf pan, seam side down, and tuck the ends under, pinching to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the loaves again and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. During the last 15 minutes of rising, heat the oven to 350°. Bake the loves for about 45 minutes. Turn out the loaves from the pans onto wire racks. Allow to cool completely before freezing or cutting.