Pullman Loaf Sandwich Bread

Who doesn't love soft, spongy, tender white bread?

Well, I'm sure there may be a few people out there that would prefer the crusty, crunchy, robustness of something like a french baquette or perhaps ciabatta.

A Pullman loaf sandwich bread is a unique form of the standard white bread. The recipe and baking technique results in a white bread sandwich loaf that is soft, tender, and delicious. Using a Pullman loaf pan creates a perfect rectangular loaf of bread that is great for making a sandwiches or creating crispy and delicious Texas toast cheeseburgers.

The Pullman loaf is certainly uniquie. Here is what makes it so interesting.

Let's look at the baking technique.

Unlike traditional loaves of white bread, which is baked in a pan that has an open top, the Pullman loaf is baked in a long, narrow, rectangular pan with a tight-fitting lid. This confined space restricts the dough's rise, resulting in a loaf with flat top and sides and squared corners. The closed baking container traps steam during baking process which creates a humid environment which results in a soft, thin, and lightly golden crust on all six sides of the loaf.  The restricted rise and bake contributes to a dense and even crumb structure that soft and delicate. Additionally, the square shape of the Pullman loaf makes for uniform slices which are delicious either fresh or toasted.

The Pullman loaf certainly does have an unusual name. Its name comes from the Pullman Company, famous for its luxurious railway sleeping cars in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The loaf's square shape was chosen for the compact kitchens on these trains because the square loaves stacked neatly for storage. Plus the square shape maximized storage space more so that standard round-topped loaves. More bread on the train.

Beyond s being a great choice for making delicious cheeseburgers, the Pullman loaf can also be used in other recipes. The texture of the bread makes it an excellent choice for making croutons. French toast is another way Pullman bread can be used as the slices can be made as thin or as thick as desired.

Recommended Tools

• KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - https://amzn.to/4hG4hEH
• 13” Pullman Loaf Pan - https://amzn.to/3UPLwVC
• Kitchen scale and food scale - https://amzn.to/3YQUiDY
• Instant Read Thermometer - https://amzn.to/4eoziu0

Ingredients for the Pullman Loaf Bread

9 x 4 x 4 pan

• 270ml water 105F
• 27ml honey
• 18ml soften butter, cubed
• 410g all-purpose flour
• 10g salt
• 30g non-fat powdered milk
• 6g active dry yeast

Directions for making Pullman Loaf Bread

Place water, honey, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to combine. Allow to proof for 10 minutes.

Combine flour, salt, and powdered milk together in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

Place the bowl with the yeast mixture in the stand mixer. Using a dough hook, begin mixing on the low setting. Start adding the flour mixture a spoonful at a time. After one-half of the flour mixture is added, add the softened butter. Continue adding the balance of the flour mixture.

When dough comes together, turn off the mixer, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rest and hydrate for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn the mixer to low and knead for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, the dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If dough is too sticky, slowly add flour 1 tbsp at a time until dough is the proper consistency.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand for about 1 minute. Shape into a ball and place into a lightly oiled container. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes. Dough should double in size.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Degas the dough and stretch into a 16” x 9” sheet. Roll the sheet along the long side into a cylinder. Place dough into a greased 16” Pullman loaf pan. Remember to grease the lid as well. Cover and allow the dough to rise until almost touching the lid of the pan, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Fully-close the cover of the Pullman loaf pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake covered for 20 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread is over 190 F - approximately 10-12 minutes.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 min. Then turn the bread out onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy this bread straight-away or store in an airtight bag.