I recently made the pact to start baking bread at least once a week. At a new point in my career, it’s the perfect time to make changes at home, too. While I was tempted to go to my local book store and buy the quintessential bread baking tome to begin my new challenge with, my practical side won out, and I started with a book I already had lying around. The first recipe I decided to tackle was from a book I’d purchased long ago, while still in college, entitled The Easy Way to Artisan Breads & Pastries.

After much deliberation, and a battle in our house as to whether or not I should make an apple cinnamon bread, the English Tea-Sandwich Bread recipe was chosen. Basically, it’s a bit like a brioche, with a dark glossy crust and a buttery-light interior that produces a delicate crumb. It only had to rise twice, and was easily handled in my knock-off Hamilton Beach stand mixer (although the motor did get a little heated). The result was lovely and will be perfect with butter, jam, cucumbers, cheese, pickles, watercress, or as Aaron prefers it: with a fried egg and his home-cured bacon. Here is the recipe with my tweaks included:

English Tea-Sandwich Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup room temperature water
1/4 cup cold milk (I used low fat)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon active-dry yeast (a packet and a little more)
1 medium egg yolk (I used a farm raised chicken egg)
1/4 cup sweet cream, salted butter, room temperature (I microwaved this butter for 15 seconds and then tossed it in the bowl)
3 1/2 cups bread flour unbleached
2 teaspoons morton’s salt
1 egg, beaten for brushing
Additional flour for assorted tasks

Prep time: 20 min.
Resting time: 2 hours
Rising time: 1 hour
Baking time: 18 min. or 45 min. depending on pan size
makes either one 12-inch loaf or two 8-inch loaves

Note: this bread can be fully baked and frozen.

1. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer with the dough hook attached, mix the water, milk, sugar, yeast, egg yolk, butter, and flour at low speed for 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the salt and continue to knead at low speed for 12 minutes.

2. Transfer the dough to a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 2 hours.

3. Place the dough on a floured work surface and flatten it out with the palm of the hand to remove air pockets.

4. Form a ball of dough and place the palms of the hands on top of it. Roll the dough, easing the ball into an oval shape the length of the pan(s).

5. Place in a greased loaf pan, brush with the beaten egg, and let rise for 1 hour, or until the dough rises above the edges of the pan.

6. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 45 minutes, or until a deep golden brown, that sounds hollow when tapped.

7. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan (you might have to use a knife to clear the edges) to finish cooling on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.