Sandwich Bread

Allie's new stand mixer's primary purpose is to make bread. She's looking to replicate something close to the soft, smooth texture of store bought honey wheat.

Here's what I make, if I'm planning on using the bread for sandwiches:

1 3/4 cups AP or bread flour (about 1/2 pound)

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (about 1/2 pound)

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

2 Tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons of butter (room temperature helps)

Scant 1 1/2 cups milk (2% recommended)

1. Mix flours, salt, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add honey, butter and milk until dough forms. Then switch to dough hook to knead for a few minutes. Knead by hand for about one more minute.

2. Grease the bowl with melted butter, place dough in bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel for at least 2 hours (about doubled in volume). Deflate the ball and reshape it into a ball, let rest on lightly floured counter, covered for about 15 minutes.

3. Flatten into a rectangle with barely floured hands, fold the longer sides in toward each other, and pinch them together to make it into a longer, narrower but thicker loaf. Flip it so the seam-side is down and place in a greased loaf pan, flattening the top with the back of your hand. Cover and let rest for about an hour (top of dough will be nearly even with top of loaf pan).

4. Preheat oven to 350, brush top of loaf with water, then put it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.

Hope this is closer to what you had in mind.