Stand‑mixer white sandwich loaf
A simple, soft white loaf made in a stand mixer — perfect for sandwiches, toast and weekday toasties.
This is the go-to white sandwich loaf for busy cooks with a stand mixer. It keeps things simple — no fuss shaping, reliable proves and a soft, pillowy crumb that toasts beautifully.
Use it for packed lunches, thick-cut toast or weekend French toast. The stand mixer takes the hard work out of kneading so you get bakery results without the arm ache.
Ingredients
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 5 g instant dried yeast — one standard sachet
- 30 g caster sugar
- 50 g unsalted butter — softened, cut into small cubes
- 200 ml whole milk — warmed to about 35–40°C
- 180 ml lukewarm water — about 35–40°C
- 1 egg — beaten, for glaze
- 10 ml olive oil — for greasing bowl and tin
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook
- 23 x 13 cm loaf tin
- digital scales
- cooling rack
Instructions
Warm the whole milk and lukewarm water together until about 35–40°C (just warm to the wrist). If you don't have a thermometer, they should feel warm but not hot.
Put the strong white bread flour into the stand mixer bowl. Sprinkle the caster sugar over the flour. Push the fine sea salt to one side of the bowl and make a small well in the centre for the instant dried yeast — keeping salt and yeast separated briefly prevents the yeast being stunned.
Fit the dough hook. Start the mixer on low and, with it running, pour in the warmed milk and water gradually so the flour hydrates evenly. Add the cubes of unsalted butter as you go. Once combined, increase to medium-low and knead for 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and comes away from the bowl.
Pour the olive oil into a clean bowl, turn the dough in the oil to coat, cover the bowl with lightly oiled cling film or a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
Knock the air from the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a tight loaf and place seam-side down into a 23 x 13 cm loaf tin greased with a little olive oil. Cover and prove again until the dough rises around 1–2 cm above the rim, about 45 minutes.
About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional.
Brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg and, if you like, make one shallow score down the centre with a sharp knife.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 30–35 minutes until deep golden. The loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the base and register about 95°C internal if you use a probe.
Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing — cutting too soon makes the crumb gummy.
Tips
- Weigh ingredients precisely on digital scales — bread is unforgiving of loose measurements.
- If your kitchen is cold, use the oven light method to give the dough a gentle, steady proving temperature.
- For a softer crumb, replace 30 ml of the water with 30 ml double cream (adds richness) — bake time is unchanged.
- Slice the loaf with a serrated knife and a sawing motion once fully cooled to avoid squashing.
- Make-ahead: bake the loaf, cool completely, slice and freeze in portions for up to 2 months; defrost at room temperature or toast from frozen.
Substitutions
strong white bread flour → plain flour 500 g
Noticeably differentwhole milk → semi-skimmed milk 200 ml
Stays closeunsalted butter → olive oil 45 ml (add to liquids)
Noticeably differentinstant dried yeast → fresh yeast 20 g (dissolve in the warm liquids first)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 208
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 330 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this by hand if I don't have a stand mixer?
Yes — mix in a large bowl and knead by hand for 10–12 minutes until smooth and elastic. The proves and bake times remain the same.
How do I know when the dough is proved enough?
After the first prove it should be noticeably larger and spring back slowly when you press a finger. For the final prove the dough should be puffy and hold a gentle indentation.
Can I add seeds or wholegrain to the dough?
Yes — add up to 60 g mixed seeds or 50 g cracked grains during the last minute of kneading. Expect a slightly denser crumb.
How long will the loaf keep?
Stored in a bread bag at room temperature it will keep well for 2–3 days. For longer storage, freeze sliced portions.
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