King Arthur'S Sandwich Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons yeast (or one envelope)

Preparation

Proof the yeast in a bit of warm water and sugar, unless you use instant or quick-rise yeast. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine set to the dough or manual cycle). Add a bit of additional milk or flour if needed- the dough should be soft, but not sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and allow it to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 hour, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in the lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 60 minutes, until it's domed about 1 inch above the edge of the pan.
Bake the bread in a preheated 350\u00b0F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's light golden brown.
Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.