Our FAVORITE Sourdough Sandwich Bread!

This recipe makes the best by far sourdough sandwich bread!! After I tried so many different recipes that didn't work for us, I compiled my own using tips and tricks from other faithful sourdough bakers.

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WHAT YOU NEED:

• - A mixer to knead the dough (I use a Bosch Universal Mixer, or using a Kitchen Aid is totally fine, just make sure you have a big enough bowl! I got this glass bowl and it was much better than the stainless steel option for kneading.

• - 3 bread baking dishes

• - Bread Bags with twist ties (I usually find these at Walmart, too!)

INGREDIENTS (for 3 loaves):

• - 2 Cups Active Sourdough Starter

• - 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

• - 1/2 Cup Honey

• - 1 Large Egg

• - 1/3 Cup Butter (melted)

• - 1 Tablespoon Salt

• - about 8 Cups of All-Purpose Flour (We use unbleached King Arthur), or mill your own (hard red wheat is a great option)!

**If milling your own flour, use about 1/4 cup more water and a little less flour.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine water, starter, honey, egg, salt, and butter. Add in flour one cup at a time. I usually stop at 7 cups and knead for a bit before adding the 8th cup. If the dough all sticks together and no longer sticking to the side of the bowl, you probably have enough flour. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, until it passes the window pane test. To test, pull your dough up and apart with your fingers into a square and see if it becomes transparent without breaking. If it breaks easily, knead it for another couple of minutes.

Either keep the dough in the bowl, or transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and put it in a warm spot until doubled. This could take anywhere between 4-8 hours depending on temperature in your home. Once doubled, dump dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 3 equal parts, and try to fold in the edges underneath to make a nice smooth top. Spray the bread baking dishes, and transfer the dough into them. Keep on counter overnight (no more than 12 hours).

Preheat your oven to 375°. Uncover the bread and bake for 35 min, until the top crust is golden brown. Let cool completely. I usually don't slice right away because the bread is still pretty soft and it will squish together easily. Store them in bread bags. Bread is best if eaten within a week to two weeks. (If it lasts that long!) Baked sandwich loaves freeze well, too!

This bread makes the BEST grilled cheese sandwiches, egg sandwiches, hot ham or chicken and cheese melts, sloppy joe's, toast, or just eat some with butter! It's so good!!!

**When slicing, make sure to use a good bread knife. The one I use must have been handed down to me and is no longer made, but these bread knives look very similar to the one I own.

**Sometimes a Kitchen Aid Mixer stalls due to the volume of the dough. I HIGHLY recommend using the glass bowl vs the stainless steel, as you will have much more room for the dough to knead. The dough can also be kneaded by hand, but you will need to add about 5-10 extra minutes to the total knead time before the first rise.