Yeast Bread (Perfect for Sandwiches)

There's something about the smell of yeast bread rising, and then baking, that is comforting to me. I always used to love that smell when I'd walk into a bakery, and I loved how it filled my house when I made it. Now, that smell doesn't have the same affect on me when I know it's something that can make me sick. This bread, however, we can eat. And it has the same smell that fills the house and lets everyone know that a hot slice slathered with butter is within reach in just a little while.

I have missed making a good loaf of yeast bread and have tried many times to make bread using my old recipes that you have to knead, experimenting with flours and liquid proportions etc. etc. to no avail. They were usually edible and even tasty, but weren't worthy of a sandwich.

The recipe for this bread is inspired by the same recipe I used to use often when I was growing up. It's easy, doesn't take too long AND it doesn't require kneading. I remembered this recipe recently, from that good old Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cookbook that I was given so many years ago by my grandparents. After tweaking it several times over, I'm proud to offer you this bread and hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

My children don't want any other bread for their sandwiches now, and while I do miss the Udi's multi-grain bread, I don't miss the cost. Buying a loaf that lasts for three days' lunches for two children at nearly $7 a loaf (that's what it costs where I live, anyway) adds up. Sure, gluten-free flours are costly as well and you are using a lot in bread, but I figured that I'm coming out ahead when each of these loaves will last through an entire week of sandwiches for both children and leaving a few slices extra for my husband and me. (Also take into consideration the savings when buying ingredients in bulk that you use often through the subscribe and save program on amazon.)

Projected prep time: 15 minutes; Rise time: 45 minutes; Bake time: 55 minutes
(Printable Recipe)

2 cups (298 g or 10.5 oz.) Pamela's bread mix and flour blend (NOT baking & pancake mix)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) milk
1/2 cup (4 oz.) salted butter, cut in small pieces
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. organic pure cane sugar
1 egg
1 cup (137 g or 4 7/8 oz.) brown rice flour
*1/4 cup (29 g or 1 oz.) millet flour
OR
*1/4 cup (33 g or 1 1/8 oz.) teff flour

Combine Pamela's bread flour with yeast in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a smaller bowl, combine brown rice flour and millet flour, or teff flour if you prefer to use that over millet (I think I like the millet a little better in this bread), and set aside.

Pour milk into a saucepan and add butter pieces, sugar and salt. Heat on medium until butter is melted and the temperature is 115 degrees.

Pour warm milk mixture over Pamela's flour and yeast, and beat with a wooden spoon several seconds until blended. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Place dough hook on mixer and beat at high speed for about two minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can do this with a wooden spoon.

With mixer running at low speed, gradually add the remaining flours. Gradually increase speed as the flour combines until you can beat at medium-high without flour going out of the bowl. Beat for a minute and then scrape bowl with wooden spoon, then return to medium-high speed until everything is incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Transfer dough to a ceramic or glass bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place in warm spot for 45 minutes. (I use my oven for this. I turn it to about 100 degrees and then turn it off before I start making the dough, and it's just right when I'm ready to let the dough rise.)

After 45 minutes, dough should be about double in size.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a loaf pan. Stir dough once and then transfer to greased loaf pan. Wet your fingers and smooth out any bumps on the dough surface. Let it sit on the counter and rise again while the oven is heating.

Smooth out the bumps or the top will look like the loaf pictured baked below.

Bake for 55 minutes or until bread is done. Immediately after pulling it out of the oven, I like to butter the top.

I didn't smooth the bumps out on this loaf, so the surface is uneven.

Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack, or out of the pan. I've found it doesn't make much difference so I keep it in the pan.

This bread will keep for a few days at room temperature, but I've found it's better if I freeze some right away for use later in the week. To do this, I wait until the bread is completely cooled and then slice it with a bread knife and place all the slices together in wax paper, then place it in a freezer ziploc and freeze it until I need it. It still tastes fresh after being defrosted.

Enjoy!