White Bread
Every baker starts here. This is the bread you already know. The store loaf. The hotel roll on the big day out with the family. The one someone who loved you made from scratch. The principle is simple: get your ratio of wet to dry right and the bread makes itself. You can make this without a loaf pan, and it makes a beautiful loaf. Parchment paper on a baking stone gives great results with this recipe.
Hydration is the ratio of water to flour by weight. It controls everything: how the dough handles, how the crumb opens, and how forgiving the recipe is. Most white bread recipes run between 65% and 72%. At the low end the dough is stiff and easy to shape but dense in the finished loaf. At the high end the dough has slack and rewards an experienced baker. The sweet spot for a reliable, open crumb that anyone can make is 67% to 71%. For this recipe the number is 69%. The test is simple: when the dough clears the bowl and nothing sticks to the sides, the hydration is right.
Honey holds moisture longer, deepens the crust color, and adds a warmth you can taste but not identify. This is the foundation. Every other bread in this collection builds on what you learn here.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 671 | 69.10% | |
| Butter or Oil | 58 | 5.97% | |
| Honey | 78 | 8.03% | |
| Instant Yeast | 20 | 2.06% | |
| Salt | 17 | 1.75% | |
| Flour | 971 | 100.00% | |
| Total | 1,815 | 186.92% |
Work backward from the time you want to serve. Set your oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position or on your baking stone on the bottom of the oven if you have one. We recommend baking based on sight and measurement together. Your oven may run hot or cold, or you have a different pan than the one used.
Drop a parchment sheet into your large loaf pan before you mix anything. You can fold over a full sheet or cut to fit. A half sheet fits the pan without cutting but may not be enough room to fold over the sides. No oiling needed unless you want a buttered crust or plan to add toppings — oil the parchment paper and sprinkle in the toppings.
Keep all your wet ingredients in their measurement containers and combine all your dry ingredients. Pour the water, honey, and oil or butter into your mixing bowl.
Add all the dry ingredients at once. Mix on low until combined, then increase to medium and mix for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl.
Add all wet ingredients then the dry. Mix with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until no dry patches remain. The dough will look rough and shaggy — that is correct. Cover and rest at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Time does what the mixer does. You trade speed for simplicity.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rectangle, fold the top third down, fold the bottom third up, then roll toward you into a tight log. Place seam-side down in the pan. Or divide into quarters, roll each up, and place on their side.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature until the dough rises just below the rim of the pan — about 60 to 90 minutes. Do not rush this step. The height you see before the oven is the height you hope to keep.
Bake at 350°F. The center should read 190°F to 200°F with a digital thermometer. In our home oven it bakes in 90 minutes. Rotate after 45 minutes. The crust should reach a deep amber color.
Cooling takes 2 to 3 hours minimum. If the loaf is stuck, leave it in the tin to cool. The loaf needs to reach stable room temperature before you cut or store it. If baked with a lid, turn the loaf upside down to cool.
Slide the cooled loaf into a large plastic bag and seal it. It keeps at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Store any remaining dough in the refrigerator and use it for your next bake.