Soft and Fluffy Old-Fashioned White Bread

I finally made the bread of my dreams, a baking goal I’ve been chasing ever since grade school: the softest, fluffiest white bread!

We all have our picky tendencies as kids, some more severe than others.

Unlike my younger brother, who refused to eat anything except plain pasta, chicken nuggets from McDonald’s, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, I’ve always been pretty open and inquisitive with food choices.

Except when it came to bread. I never really cared for sourdough, whole wheat, or anything enriched with nuts or dried fruits.

And the crusts were never something I particularly enjoyed, either.

I would always have a routine when eating a slice from a loaf I didn’t really like: slowly nibble and pick away from the center outwards, getting as close to the crust as possible, crumb by crumb. The crust was always left behind – tormented, deformed, and alone.

It was a hideous process, but I thought it was completely necessary.

The one exception to my garish procedure was soft and fluffy white bread. I loved that kind.

Remember those big fat rolls you would get for school lunches? Glistening with butter? I could devour one in mere seconds, the whole thing, even the crust!

The crust was just as soft and luscious as the delightfully doughy, but not underbaked, interior.

Happily, those rolls followed me throughout all the years of my elementary, middle, and high school education.

But sadly, my daily intake of that perfect serving of carbohydrates halted once I graduated.

If I close my eyes now, I can still recall the aroma of warm, sweet sugar and yeast wafting through the corridors of the school buildings, completely overpowering the smell of chalk, pencil shavings, and chlorine from the high school pool – enticing me, beckoning me to the lunchroom…

Ever since graduation, after shifting that tassel from one side of my cap to the other, I made a personal oath to find a way to bake that bread, to bake a loaf that was just as soft and fluffy as what I ate nearly every day for years of my childhood.

How did those lunch ladies do it? Even my mom was a lunch lady for a year or two, but she was never responsible for making the recipe. Sure, she made the meatloaf mix all the time, but never the rolls.

Not. Fair.

So I went through the entirety of baking and pastry school and multiple bread baking jobs making similar recipes, and I was still unsatisfied.

Until now. I finally did it!

It took well over 10 years, but I cracked the code on how to make old-fashioned white bread. And I am here now, proud and triumphant, to share this recipe with you.

It’s far easier than what you would expect, nothing farfetched outside the realm of basic bread baking. The recipe is simple to follow, and you’ll have a beautiful loaf in a handful of hours.

A soft and fluffy style of bread heavily relies on the high fat and protein content of milk, which is why there is a mixture of whole milk, heavy cream, and dry milk powder used here.

And you must not rush the fermentation process – the height and fluffy texture you want requires thorough gas development in the gluten network, so you need to let the dough rise for the appropriate amount of time.

Trust me. I waited over 10 years until I finally made my perfect version. I know you can wait a few hours!

Print

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Measure all of the listed ingredients for the bread dough.

Place the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan and heat on the stovetop until a thermometer registers between 100 and 110°F.

This is the preferred temperature range to trigger active dry yeast for the strongest yeast activity. Anything higher than this may potentially kill the yeast.

Step 2 – Activate Yeast

Once the milk and cream reach the right temperature, remove from the stovetop and carefully pour the mixture into a medium-sized heatproof bowl.

Whisk in the sugar and active dry yeast until they completely dissolve. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until the liquid becomes very frothy.

Step 3 – Make Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the 2 1/4 cups flour, the salt, and the milk powder by hand. Whisking will help to evenly distribute the dry ingredients before adding the liquid ingredients.

Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the egg and milk/yeast mixture. Knead on medium speed for 10 to 15 minutes, until a thick dough forms.

The dough will be slightly sticky, but if it seems too wet, slowly add in the remaining 1/4 cup flour. You may not need to use all of it.

Step 4 – The First Rise

Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with a film of vegetable oil. A plastic bench scraper is the perfect tool to help remove the sticky dough from one bowl and transfer it to the other!

Roll the dough in the oiled bowl to lightly coat the exterior. This keeps the surface of the dough moist, so it doesn’t develop a layer of skin.

Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Depending on your home’s temperature and humidity levels, the first rise may take less or more time than the recommended range. Keep an eye on it.

Step 5 – Form into a Loaf

Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with a thin coating of vegetable oil.

Punch down the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes to redistribute the gluten network.

Once the dough has rested, transfer to a clean work surface and press into a large flat oval.

With the skinny end of the oval facing you, fold over the top third of the oval into the center, then the bottom third into the center over the previously folded dough, like folding a letter. Press down on the seam.

Gently fold the dough in half, and gently press down to seal the seam.

Gently roll to continue sealing the seam, rolling and stretching out the shape if needed. You want the log to be a little smaller than the dimensions of the pan so that there is room to expand – aim for about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Step 6 – The Second Rise

Transfer the log to the prepared pan. Spread a film of vegetable oil on top of the dough, and gently drape plastic wrap over the top. You don’t want to tightly wrap it, to ensure the dough has enough room and space to expand without any limitations.

Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, or until the loaf has risen slightly above the top of the pan.

Like with the first rise, the time required for the dough to double in size will depend on your home’s temperature and humidity level.

As the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 7 – Bake

Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash. Remove the plastic wrap, and gently brush the top of the loaf with a thin layer of the egg wash.

Bake the loaf for 20-25 minutes. It will be puffy and lightly browned on the surface when it’s done. Remove from the oven, and immediately brush with the melted butter.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

But if you can’t wait, the best slices (in my opinion) are enjoyed when the bread is still warm…