Sandwich Bread – Pullman Loaf Recipe (Pain de mie)

Baking bread is therapeutic, but if you have baked bread before, it goes quick! A classic sandwich bread is perfect for everyday work lunches, picnics and more. I love the pullman loaf recipe for the size. I can bake a weeks worth of bread in one day, and freeze and defrost the slices as required.

I offer variations in my recipes depending on the ingredients you may have in the cupboard, as you learn to bake more from scratch, you begin to have preferences on milk/water or honey/sugar. Let me know your favourite!

What is a Pullman loaf?

All bread made in a loaf pan can be used to make sandwiches, however the pullman loaf has four square corners. The shape comes from using a specific loaf pan that has a pull sliding lid. You bake the bread with the lid on, so when the bread rises it bakes into the corners of the pan on all sides, giving it those perfect square corners!

Ingredients

• 360 g (1.½ cups) Warm Milk or Water
• 2 Large Eggs
• 50 g (4 tbsp) Sugar or Honey
• 9 g (2¼ tsp) Instant Dry Yeast
• 600 g (5 cups) Plain or Home Milled Flour
• 10 g (2 tsp) Salt
• 60 g (4 tbsp) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)

Pain de mie is a French sandwich bread with four square corners baked in a Pullman loaf pan. This simple and easy recipe for Pullman sandwich bread makes a light and fluffy loaf of bread with perfect four square corners. And, it has a delicate soft texture, soft crumb, and delicious flavour.

From dough to bread!

• In a small bowl add the warm milk OR water, yeast, sugar, and egg. Stir and set aside to foam for 5 mins
• In a large bowl or stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt.
• Add the liquid yeast mixture to the flour. Combine with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Mix on medium-high speed for about 3-5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Once all the flour is incorporated, knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on medium speed until smooth. The dough will be soft and sticky.
• Next, add the soft room-temperature butter a little at a time. knead again for another 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in volume. (In winter, you may need 90 minutes or more. But in summer, it may be 45 minutes)
• When the dough is doubled in volume pour the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Start to roll like a swiss roll. Pinch the seams together. The idea is to fold the dough into a tight loaf. Folding helps strengthen the gluten strands and prevents loose floppy bread.
• Place into a buttered Pullman Loaf Pan seam side down. Cover the loaf pan and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until 1.5 inches from the top of the loaf pan.
• Once your dough is 3/4 up the sides, preheat the oven to 380°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5 for at least 20 minutes. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and into the oven for 45-50 minutes.
• Once baked, partially open the lid and let it cool for 10 minutes, then place onto a cooling rack. Wait at least 1 hour before cutting for best results!

Flavour variations:

• Whole wheat bread – replace 1 cup of white flour with whole wheat flour if you want to add more fiber and whole-grain benefits.
• Fruit and nut bread – you can add ½ cup chopped raisins or dates and ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the flour
• Seed bread – Soak sunflower or pumpkin seeds for an hour then add them to the flour. Coat the dough in the additional seed before placing the dough in the loaf pan.
• White milk bread – Replace the water in the recipe with milk and add an additional 2 tbsps of milk powder to the flour.

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