To the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, add all of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 10 minutes. The dough should be pulling from the sides of the bowl, smooth and tacky to the touch – not sticking to your hand. Alternatively, you can mix and knead the dough by hand. I would increase the time from 10 to 15 minutes.

550 grams bread flour,100 grams sourdough discard, room temperature,300 grams warm water (110 degrees F),57 grams unsalted butter, melted,25 grams honey,9 grams salt,7 grams instant yeast

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a plastic cover and wait until it doubles in size, typically 1-1½ hours, depending on the temperature of your dough and environment.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to remove all of the air bubbles. This helps to keep a tight crumb. Then, place the dough on a clean work surface.

Stretch or roll the bread dough into a large rectangle with a rolling pin, about 9 inch x 13 inch, doesn’t have to be exact . Starting with the side closest to you, roll the bread dough into a log, like you would a cinnamon roll. Curl the ends of the sourdough sandwich bread under itself and pinch the seams together.

Gently lift the dough and place it into a greased 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with the seam side down. Cover the dough with a plastic cover and allow it to rise until the dough is 1″ above the rim of the pan and looks puffy. This took 25 minutes in my 70 degree kitchen. It is tempting to rush this step, but don’t! If your loaf has not risen properly, it will be dense and gummy.

While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 degree F.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 195 degrees F. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake.

Remove the loaf from the hot oven and keep in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, before removing to cool on a wire rack. For an extra soft crust, rub butter on the top of the warm loaf. Cool until room temperature before slicing. Enjoy!

Refer to the Sample Baking Timeline above.

Sourdough Discard – I used fresh, room-temperature sourdough discard. I suggest using discard that’s no more than 1-2 days old. If you use discard straight from the fridge, it’ll slow down the rise time. And you definitely can swap in the same amount of active sourdough starter (grams).

Instant yeast – This recipe uses a little commercial yeast to help it along. I go with instant yeast, not active dry. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid first and takes longer to rise. Instant yeast can be mixed right into the dry ingredients and works faster, but not quite as fast as rapid-rise yeast.

Bread Flour – You technically can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but I highly recommend using bread flour because it has a higher protein percentage. Using a flour with a higher protein content helps the bread rise better and gives it a softer texture and an airier crumb.

Water – Use warm water. I used 110°F water, which is warm enough to help the dough rise faster without harming the yeast. Keep your water under 120°F, as hotter water can deactivate the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.

Honey-A touch of honey adds a hint of natural sweetness, helps the loaf brown, and keeps it soft and moist for days. You can swap it out for the same amount (in grams) of regular or cane sugar if you prefer.