Easy Sandwich "Butter" Bread Recipe.

I never thought I’d be so comfortable with baking bread or maybe it’s because I get to share the experience with my daughter who’s ever eager to cook something/ anything with me. Remember when everyone started baking bread during the Covid-19 lockdown? That was such a fascinating period of total strangers displaying bread baking prowess on social media. The fragrance of freshly baked bread will never cease holding me spellbound and making me forget my worries if even for 30mins 😄.

This bread recipe is easy & needs only 6 ingredients. It makes one loaf of fresh wholesomeness with a fluffy texture which will hold any sandwich ingredients together. It’s not heavy & chewy like our local butter bread.

My little one and I baked this delightful bread Sunday brunch time and by 1pm we were almost done. To think I managed to pass through the CitiFm This Is Ghana Exhibition instead of waiting for the second proofing at home. We got home just in time to prevent the dough from crawling it’s way across the kitchen counter. Whew!

Ingredients:

3 1/8 cup of hard wheat flour (Pride of the West)

2 tablespoons of Remia magarine

2 1/4 teaspoons of instant yeast

2 tablespoons of sugar (brown or white)

1 cup of warm low fat milk

1/3 cup of warm water

Prepping time: 15minutes Proofing Time: 2hrs Baking: 30-35minutes.

Baking Tools & Equipment

1. Hand mixer with dough hook / Stand mixer

2. electric or manual whisk

3. Rolling Pin

4. Bread baking Pan (Greased)

5. Oven

Instructions:

1. Add water to milk and warm gently in microwave for 20seconds till lukewarm. If it’s too warm you’ll kill the yeast bacteria. Place finger in to test and if it feels nice to the touch that's perfect for bacteria growth. add yeast and sugar and whisk. Set aside for 5-6 minutes till yeast gets frothy.

2. Pour flour, salt and margarine into the yeast mixture and using the hand mixer with the dough hook, mix all together until a dough forms. If the dough feels stickly add a tablespoon of flour until it’s firm with no stickiness. If it feels too dry, add a teaspoon of milk at a time. After 8 minutes of mixing. Turn out the dough unto a dry surface and knead for another 5 minutes to further stretch and loosen the gluten.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased large bowl and cover. Set it in a warm place by your kitchen window or outside in the sun. After about 45 minutes, punch the dough with your fist or finger  to release air.

4. Knead by hand for another 5 minutes to stretch out the gluten and let more air out.

5. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangular shape and using your hands roll the dough upwards into a log shape. Press the sides to seal it in. Lift up and place into a greased baking pan.  Cover to proof again until the dough is an inch above the pan. This will take an hour.

6. Just before the hour has reached, preheat oven to 160°C . An hour is up and it’s now time to bake some bread! Place the dough in the pan directly unto a baking sheet in the oven and close. Bake for 30-35 minutes till golden brown.

7. To check doneness, tap the surface of the bread. If it sounds more hollow it’s ready to be devoured!

8. Take the bread pan and turn out onto the counter.

9. Enjoy with your favorite butter/ jam / peanut butter spread.

This bread had a good crumb texture and the milk rendered a softness to it. It held itself well and my daughter gave it a thumbs-up! As the price of wheat has escalated in recent times with bread following the natural suit of increment, it makes sense to bake your bread more than ever.  I do agree that store-bought bread is convenient but homemade bread is where all the love resides!

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes by tagging me on Instagram @oyooquartey#accramommy!