pullman loaf (a.k.a. perfect sandwich bread)

i have made many loaves of bread over the years. for soup and pasta i love ciabatta bread.  for breakfast i’m a fan of cinnamon raisin bread toasted. french toast is best when made with challah. when it comes to sandwiches  nothing, and i mean nothing is better than a pullman loaf.

what is a pullman loaf

a pullman loaf is a basic white bread baked in a pullman pan. the bread is baked with the top on creating a perfectly squared loaf. most commercially sold white breads are actually pullman loaves. pullman bread is practically crust-less with a fine textured crumb.

the lack of crust is what my kids love. stella especially, she is notorious for eating only the centers of her sandwiches.

if you are looking for a basic, but delicious, white bread for sandwiches, this pullman loaf is it.

Print Recipe

Yield: 1 loaf

pullman loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 - 2 1/2 hours (including rise times)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup warm milk (110°)
• 3 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp Instant Yeast
• 3 cups Bread Flour
• 1/2 cup ap flour
• 3 Tbsp Dry Milk Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

• combine all of the bread ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (can also be done by hand)
• mix until combined, then knead by hand until you have a smooth dough
• place dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise 30 minutes (may take longer if your room is cold) dough should be puffy but not doubled in volume
• gently deflate dough, form into a log, and place in a well greased Pullman Loaf Pan, then place lid on pan
• let rise until dough is about 1/2 inch from the rim of the pan (30-40 minutes)
• pre-heat oven to 350°
• bake loaf covered for 40 minutes
• remove bread from pan and cool on a rack
• cool completely before wrapping and storing (bread will last at room temperature for 3 days)

     

my pullman pan is 9x4x4  - if you are using a large pan 13x4x4 increase milk by 1/2 cup, butter to 6 Tbsp, milk powder to 1/4 cup, and bread flour to 4 cups, and yeast to 2 tsp

one of the things i love most about this pullman loaf recipe is how easy it is. there is very little hands on time and two short rise times.

and with the exception of instant yeast, you probably have everything already in your pantry to make this loaf.

a few tips for making the perfect pullman loaf

to get the fine texture of the pullman loaf, use bread flour. this recipe uses mostly bread flour with 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. using 100% all purpose flour will still create a delicious loaf, but it will be a bit more dense and not quite as chewy.

grease your pan well, and don’t forget the top. i have had more than one loaf stick to the lid.

during the second rise, you will want to watch your loaf closely. your bread is ready to bake when the dough has risen to about 1/2 inch below the rim. my loaves usually take about 40 minutes to rise in the pan, but check after 30 minutes.

i use my pullman pan for most of my bread recipes lately; i love the squared sides. but if you are looking for a basic white bread recipe, you can’t go wrong with this pullman loaf.

enjoy!