This basil sandwich bread recipe produces a nice sized loaf of bread. It’s easy to slice, as it is a denser bread. The big airy loaves are notoriously hard to slice, so I love an easy slicer.
I use a Zojirushi bread machine that produces a bakery style loaf, however most bread machines will work with the recipe, as long it can make up to a 2 pound loaf. For us, this bread machine has been worth the cost. I got the machine around 9 years ago, and it still works like it is new. Quality really matters!
You will want to weight the flour, and watch it in the first kneading stage, as humidity can play into if a bit more flour is needed or if a splash of water. I use a digital postal scale for baking, always measuring my flour.
The dough on this loaf is pretty firm.
Bread Machine Basil Sandwich Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 2 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 510 grams all-purpose flour
- 2¼ tsp (1 packet) rapid dry yeast*
Directions:
Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you, with other brands of bread machines use warm water instead, at the temperature called for, and stack the ingredients as called for in the manual.
Add ingredients in order listed, placing the yeast on top where it doesn’t touch any liquid.
Set loaf for standard white bread, medium crust, and if size is needed, 1½ pound size.
Check during the first kneading cycle, to make sure everything is mixing, and if a sprinkle or two more of flour is needed.
Remove after baking, let cool on a rack.
Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag, and use within 2 days for best results.
This slices well for freezing. We take out slices at night, to thaw on the counter sealed in a plastic bag or in a sandwich bag.
Makes about a 1½ pound loaf.
Notes:
This recipe uses rapid dry yeast. I used Redstar Quick-Rise for it. This is different than using regular active dry yeast.
See here for all the Zojirushi Bread Recipes on Never Free Farm.
~Sarah