Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

If you think 100% whole wheat bread tastes like dry sawdust and tough cardboard, think again. Because whole wheat flour is "thirstier" than more refined white flours, it's important to keep a whole wheat dough hydrated for ideal results. This recipe makes use of a combination of ingredients to make a super soft and tender loaf: tangzhong, sweet honey, a couple tabs of butter and spoonfuls of oil, and creamy evaporated milk. We guarantee this to be the best whole wheat bread to come out of your home oven.

The magic of tangzhong

A key component of Japanese-style milk bread, tangzhong is a lightly cooked mixture of flour and water that enables whatever dough it's mixed into to retain a higher degree of moisture. The tangzhong is the MVP here to keeping your whole wheat loaf soft and plush for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer storage, cut into slices once the loaf has cooled completely and place in a resealable plastic bag to keep in the freezer. 

Evaporated milk

Sure, you can substitute the evaporated milk here with an equal amount of whole milk, but to be perfectly honest, the resulting bread just won't taste as good. Whole wheat flour has a nutty, earthy flavor that can be borderline bitter; the extra fat in evaporated milk and the more concentrated dairy notes help to offset that unpleasant note. The silver lining to having an opened can of evaporated milk? You now have one more reason to make a batch of this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese for dinner.

Butter and oil

We're using butter for its rich flavor, and oil for its tenderizing effect on bread. Bread made with oil is moister and will also stale at a slightly slower rate than those made with butter, meaning you'll get a slightly longer shelf life at room temperature with this hybrid of fats. Use a neutral oil—like canola, grapeseed, or sunflower—if you want the flavor of butter to take the spotlight, or use a more flavorful oil—olive, coconut, hazelnut—to mix it up a little.

A touch of sweetness

We love using honey in this recipe for its fragrant, floral flavors as well as its ability to add even more moisture to the loaf. For a variation, substitute with maple syrup for a lighter loaf that's less sweet, or molasses for a darker loaf with more intense earthiness.

Be gentle

Due to the increased amount of bran fibers and oily wheat germ content in whole wheat flour, this dough won't be as smooth as a bread dough made with 100% all-purpose or bread flour. Although small in size, the bran fibers will act like tiny razors that cut through the gluten networks, resulting in a rougher dough that isn't quite as elastic or cohesive as you may be used to. Handle the dough as gently as you can during each round of the stretch-and-fold process to ensure a tender loaf, using wet hands to help the dough from sticking excessively. When shaping the dough for its final proof in the loaf pan, be sure to lightly oil your surface as well as your hands for a clean release. While unconventional, oil works much better than flour here—trust the process!

If you've made this recipe, please write us a note down below and leave us a rating to let us know how you liked it!