Baking Great Bread at HomeSoft, Tender Loaves with Complex Overnight Flavor
IntermediateSandwich Bread withPre-Ferment
by Henry Hunter
Real bread for real sandwiches
Fermentation
12 hours overnight
Bake Time
35-40 minutes
Yield
2 sandwich loaves
Perfection is not required
"Great bread isn't about perfect technique—it's about understanding the dough."— Henry Hunter
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
Soft, tender sandwich bread with complex flavor from an overnight pre-ferment. Slices clean for sandwiches and toast. Freezes well.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Pre-Ferment
Mix the night before for complex flavor development through {{fermentation}}
Dough
The main dough built on overnight flavor
Pre-Ferment
Pre-Ferment (Day Before)
Build flavor overnight with this simple .
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Mix the pre-ferment
Mix flour, , and salt. Add water, mix until moistened.
Rest and refrigerate
Place in oiled bowl, cover. Rest 1 hour at room temp, then refrigerate 12 hours for slow .
⏱ Wait Time
Refrigerate overnight for flavor development
Pro Tip
Put pre-ferment in a Ziploc bag sprayed with nonstick spray. When ready, tear bag open and cut dough into mixer.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Room Temp Rest
Mix
Mix Dough
Combine all ingredients and develop the structure.
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Combine dry ingredients
Combine all dry ingredients in mixer bowl.
Add pre-ferment and water
Cut cold into chunks, add with water.
Knead
on speed 1 for 5 min, then speed 2 for 4-6 min until dough cleans bowl.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Initial Knead
Final Knead
Butter
Add Butter
Incorporate butter for a tender, rich .
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Add butter
Add room-temp butter.
Continue kneading
Continue on speed 2 for 3-5 min until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Butter Integration
Rise
First Rise
Let the dough rise until nearly doubled.
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Prepare for rising
Place in oiled bowl, turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap.
Rise
Rise at room temp ~1 hour until nearly doubled.
⏱ Wait Time
Until nearly doubled in size
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
First Rise
Proof
Second Rise
Final proof until dough rises above the pan rim.
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Cover and proof
Cover loosely with floured plastic wrap.
Rise
Proof 1-2 hours at room temp until dough rises above rim of pan.
⏱ Wait Time
Until dough rises above pan rim
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Second Rise
Shaping
Shaping
Classic loaf shaping for even slices and great oven spring.
Standard Loaf
Traditional sandwich loaf shape for even slices.
RecommendedClick each step to mark complete
Divide dough
Turn onto floured surface and divide in two equal pieces.
Pre-shape
Shape into rounds and rest 25-30 minutes.
Final shape
Flatten each into rectangle, fold lengthwise into thirds, roll into tight log.
Pan the loaves
Place seam-down in greased 9x5 inch loaf pans.
The Final Step
Baking
Bake until golden brown with an internal temperature of 190°F.
Baking Methods
Bake until golden brown and internal temp reaches 190°F.
Equipment: Two 9x5 inch loaf pans, Oven
Preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Optional steam
For crustier loaf, add 3-4 ice cubes to hot pan on oven floor.
Bake
Bake 35-40 min until golden brown. Rotate pans halfway through.
Cool
Cool in pans on wire rack 5 min. Remove from pans. For softer crust, brush tops with melted butter. Cool completely before slicing.
"Internal temp should reach 190°F (88°C) when done."
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 slice (about 45g) • 24 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. The pre-ferment helps it stay fresh longer than typical sandwich bread.
Refrigerated
Not recommended. Refrigeration accelerates staling.
Frozen
Slice before freezing for easy grab-and-go portions. Freeze for up to 2 months. Toast frozen slices directly without thawing.
Refresh
Refresh day-old slices in a toaster or 300°F oven for a few minutes.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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