Posted by Suzanne McMinn on April 6, 2008 @ 5:05 am
Tags: yeast breads
Breads, The Farmhouse Table
I love a baking experiment! And when I got this comment on my Hot, Crusty French Bread, I knew it had to be done!
I love your website but I do have one question: I made this bread two days ago and it was wonderful. But I was wondering if you thought it was okay to add a little oil and let it proof a second time in a 1-1/2 pound loaf pan so that I get a more sandwich bread shape? I’m new to bread baking and have limited tools on my student budget, but I like the texture of this bread so much that I would like to use it for sandwiches. Thanks, Adam
First of all, do we not love Adam? How cool is he? A college guy who bakes! (Girls, grab him while you can!)
Back to the bread…. Sandwich bread from my favorite french bread recipe! It is, after all, the recipe of a thousand breads, and this sounds like one more excellent idea. Taking off from the original recipe and thinking in terms of making enough dough to really fill out a loaf pan, here’s my variation on how to make French Sandwich Loaf:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package yeast
(rapid-rise recommended)
1-1/2 cup warm water
salt to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
In a large bowl, combine water with yeast, salt, and oil. Let sit for five minutes. Stir in flour until the dough is stiff enough to knead. (Don’t go adding all that flour at once! Add a little at a time. Four cups flour is approximate; exact amount may vary and you may need less.) Knead dough until smooth and elastic–a few minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl; cover. Let rise until doubled. Punch down using extra flour; shape and place in a greased loaf pan. Let rise a second time. Bake for approximately 45 minutes in a 375-degree oven.
This makes a fabulous sandwich bread! A totally different texture from sandwich bread made from Grandmother Bread, but hey, life is so much more fun with variations! And this is a great one. I loved it!! In fact, it reminded me a little of sourdough sandwich bread, without the sourdough hassle.
Let me know what you think, and wow, isn’t Adam wonderful? Think he’ll wait till Princess grows up? Cuz she’s gonna need a guy who bakes. She’s kinda lazy…. 
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7:01
am
GO ADAM!!! He should make this for a gal that he ‘likes’. If she was smart she would let him make her sandwichs the rest of her life.. BUT college girls seem to be a weeee bit stuck on themselves and usually the wrong type of man…
8:00
am
thanks for the great looking recipe. I am looking forward to giving it a try. I love reading your blog!
grace and peace,
julie
8:34
am
Wow! WTG, Adam! My Sweetie cooks for me, I wouldn’t trade him for nothing.
I haven’t been able to try your bread yet, but I hope to soon.
8:49
am
What a great kid!
Suzanne, you’ve probably done this, but your bread makes fabulous french toast.
10:00
am
Now I’m craving french toast, thanks Lora
Suzanne, I think I’ll have to try this variation. Love a big old loaf of bread.
10:49
am
Hey! WTG Adam! And Suzanne! This one sounds so delicious I am going to try it tomorrow. I would do it today, but I gotta go to work. I need an Adam in my life.
10:53
am
yum! It’s too nice outside today to be in the kitchen baking. I’ll save this idea for a rainy day.
Any man who cooks is HOT, and one who bakes bread. . . WOW!
Mine is chief cook around here. His cooking is one of the (many) reasons I married him.
11:10
am
Wow, that does look good.
11:22
am
I cheated and have it baking in the breadmachine now, its still rising.Looks good so far.
11:39
am
My next door neighbor used to own a candy store, and I’m always wondering when he’s going to make candy for his boyfriend and maybe have a little extra…! Unfortunately, none so far.
12:19
pm
AND Adam reads Chickens in the Road…let’s give him “even cooler!” points for that!!
2:16
pm
I think some girl — or guy — is going to be lucky to get Adam!
I want to know what else he cooks, since I’m at the pop-a-Weight-Watchers-frozen-entree-in-the-microwave stage of my life. Maybe he has an older brother who cooks! No, wait, that’s not right…Maybe his father is single and cooks. Sad to say, I’m quite old enough to be Adam’s father.
-Kim
2:17
pm
No, no, no…I haven’t switched genders…I meant I’m quite old enough to be Adam’s *mother*. And no, I haven’t gotten into the wine yet. But I think I’d better start now!
-Kim
2:28
pm
LOL, Kim!!!
3:50
pm
Still laughing at Kim. My husband doesn’t boil water but he’s great at take out. I’m thinking maybe that’s why my daughter is engaged to someone who cooks lol.
11:02
am
Thank you for all the nice comments. My girlfriend Janelle and I seem to spend our evenings trying out new recipes after escaping from books and classes. We enjoy our time with our sheepdogs and are always in for a great adventure . . . like bread baking. I got up yesterday at 5 to make this loaf and had french toast for the family after they were lured from their sleep because of the smell coming from the kitchen. I love to cook German food, I spent two years there and am a German major / bilingual speaker (thanks to my Oma = grandma).
Here’s a great recipe for Pfannkuchen (German-style pancakes)
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup + 1 tsp. whole mild
two eggs
1 tbs. sugar
Create a well and add the eggs to the flour. Mis in half of the milk and get out the lumps as best you can. Slowly add the second half of milk and sugar. Let this rest for 15 to 30 minutes. I prefer 30 minutes.
While the batter is resting, get out your favorite tart apple and slice it think. SUPER THIN.
In a small Teflon skillit, head oil to medium heat. Fan out the apples and cook for two to three minutes until soft. Add the batter so that it covers and just coats the entire bottom of the pan. We’re looking for a batter that is thicker than a crap but not as thick as a buttermilk pancake. You will know when the first side is done (2 minutes maybe) and flip fast so that the apples stay nice and pretty. Cook again for a minute.
Add your favorite toppings. Butter, cinnamon and sugar are traditional as is powdered sugar. I like maple syrup on mine or sometimes peanut butter and a little apple sauce on top. These will and should have a “chewy texture” because of the egg and there being no baking powder or soda.
Variation: Omit the sugar and add a pinch of salt for savory Pfannkuchen. Top with ham, cheese, roasted veggies and roll up for a Bavarian tortilla! Guten Appetit!
11:10
am
Of course also being a German speaker, sometimes my English leaves me. “We’re looking for a batter that is thicker than a crap (I MEANT CREPE!) but not as thick as a buttermilk pancake” How embarrassing! :o)
I also wanted to say this is such a fun recipe for kids to help mix and it’s an alternative to that pancake mix that has a long list of chemicals I can’t understand but are overpowered by three simple, yet frightening words: just add water.
Try this, it’s even great for a snack and for a quick dessert. Add a scool of vanilla ice cream when the Pfannkuchen is still warm, dust with cinnamon and sugar and presto!
6:11
pm
I love Adam. Janelle: he’s a keeper. We always cook from scratch here and our pancake recipe comes from a Slovene cookbook (Husband is Slovene).
ANY bread can be made in a loaf pan. I have never made French Bread (or Italian Bread) any other way. Does me no good if I can’t make a sandwich out of it. Or if 13 can’t make a sandwich out of it. Or 9 can’t make toast (he loves him some toast)
Another option: bake it as baguettes, cut it lengthwise and make sub sandwiches.