4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 large egg
Steps
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm milk, warm water, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Whisk to combine. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add the melted butter, salt, and flour and mix until a shaggy dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, or continue to knead with a stand mixer until a smooth dough forms.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and set aside in a warm place. Allow to rise until roughly doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Deflate the dough and transfer to a flat, lightly oiled surface. Gently flatten into a large circle, then pull in one edge at an angle 2/3 of the way. Press down with your knuckles. Pull in the other edge at an angle, overlapping the other edge, to create a tall triangle. Press down with your knuckles again. (See video for example.) Roll into a log starting at the thinnest point, being sure to press to seal edges after each turn.
Place, seam-side down in a lightly greased loaf pan. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let sit until risen about 1” over the edge of the loaf pan.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and a sprinkle of salt. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash.
Decrease heat to 350°F and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 35-40 minutes.
Reviews
Sasha Kay on 2020-07-27 (5 stars): i havent tried it yet but it sure looks yummy! my question is can I bake this in a dutch oven, and if so what temperature do you suggest.
Alison on 2020-11-09 (5 stars): This homemade bread recipe IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST. Those of you who are looking for the perfect and softest and the most fluffy homemade bread recipe, your search ends here. I made this today and we literally ate it in less than an hour (the entire loaf!). I just wanted to say thank you Morgan for this recipe. This loaf of bread really made my day. I'll be making this tomorrow for sure!
Sabrina on 2020-12-10 (5 stars): Hi Morgan,
I tried this recipe today and it was really good. However, it turned out really really dense. I followed the instructions exactly. I mixed with a spatula. What would you suggest next time?
Thank you,
Sabrina
Peter on 2021-06-19 (5 stars): Seeing as this would be my first attempt at baking white bread I would prefer making one loaf as opposed to the three that your recipe yields. Would I be correct in saying that I should simply use 1/3 of the ingredients? Thank so you much for sharing your time and delicious recipes with us. Peter
Jeannie on 2022-01-28 (5 stars): I made this recipe in my stand mixer and I loved it! So easy. I’m going to bake another loaf today. It’s a nice fat, fragrant loaf that’s great straight up or toasted. Thanks!
Anita on 2024-07-29 (5 stars): Thanks Morgan for your fail proof bread recipe. This was my first attempt ever at bread making and I felt like a pro seeing perfect results. My husband and i are hooked on to this bread. No more store bought bread for us. Thanks again.
