Recipe · Sandwich Loaf · Same-Day
75% Hydration Same-Day Sandwich Loaf
Built for the toaster and the lunchbox. Milk and butter soften the crumb, a longer proof in the loaf pan keeps the structure even, and the finished loaf slices to whatever thickness you need.
Total time
5 hours
Active
60 minutes
Hydration
75%
Difficulty
⌬○○
At 75%, you get real artisan crumb without fighting the dough. It's wet enough for visible holes in the cut loaf, dry enough that you can shape it on a lightly floured counter without the dough sticking to everything.
Same-day means start to finish in roughly four to six hours. The recipe leans on commercial yeast at a higher percentage and a warm bulk fermentation. You won't get cold-ferment depth, but the loaf is on the table the day you decide to bake.
Ingredients
900g total dough. Yields 1 sandwich loaf, ~810g baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 474 g | 100% |
| Water | 237 g | 50% |
| Milk | 119 g | 25% |
| Salt | 9.5 g | 2% |
| Instant yeast | 3.8 g | 0.8% |
| Butter (softened) | 57 g | 12% |
Schedule
- Hour 0Mix flour, water, yeast. Autolyse 20 minutes.
- Hour 0:20Add salt, mix until smooth.
- Hour 0:30First fold.
- Hour 1:00Second fold.
- Hour 1:30Third fold.
- Hour 2:00Bulk ferment until visibly puffy.
- Hour 3:30Roll into a log, place seam-side down in a buttered loaf pan, proof 45-60 minutes until the dough crests above the rim.
- Hour 5:00Bake at 375°F for 35 minutes until the top is deep golden and the internal temperature reads 195°F.
Method tips for this style
Roll the bulk-fermented dough into a tight log, tucking the seam under, and place seam-side down in a buttered loaf pan. Proof until the dough crests just above the rim, then bake.
What to expect
A softer crumb than the low-hydration version, with slightly more open texture but the same tender pull. Good for both sandwiches and the toaster.
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