Pullman Sandwich Bread – Pain De Mie

Pain de mie is a French sandwich bread with four square corners baked in a Pullman loaf pan. This simple and easy recipe for Pullman sandwich bread makes a light and fluffy loaf of bread with perfect four square corners. And, it has a delicate soft texture, soft crumb, and delicious flavor.

One of my fondest childhood memories revolves around the perfectly square sandwiches my mom used to pack for my school lunches.

What made these sandwiches extra special was the bread—my mom’s homemade bread. It was soft, fluffy, and perfectly square. I remember how it would squish gently when I took a bite, the crust revealing a pillowy interior that practically melted in my mouth. It was the only bread we used for butter sandwiches or jam sandwiches. I don’t ever remember eating a dinner roll or any other bread with butter, jam, or peanut butter

Now, as a parent myself, I find myself recreating this cherished tradition for my own kids. I take just as much care in making their sandwiches as my mom did for me. Watching my kids dig into their sandwiches brings me immeasurable joy. It’s a simple pleasure, to be sure, but one that connects us across generations and brings back cherished memories of childhood.

In a world that often moves too fast, there’s something comforting about slowing down and savoring the simple things in life – like a perfectly square sandwich made with love and shared with those we hold dear.

What is Pullman bread?

Pullman bread is a soft sandwich bread baked in a special Pullman loaf pan with a sliding lid. As the dough rises and bakes, the lid keeps it from doming, creating the loaf’s distinctive square shape and straight sides.

Also known as pain de mie, it has a soft, fine crumb and thin crust. The even shape makes it especially good for sandwiches, toast, and French toast.

The key is using the right amount of dough for your Pullman pan so the loaf fills the pan without becoming too dense.

Why you’ll love this bread

• Soft, fine crumb – Enriched with milk, eggs, and butter, this bread stays soft and tender while still being sturdy enough for sandwiches.
• Perfect square slices – Baking it in a Pullman loaf pan gives you that classic straight-sided loaf with neat, even slices.
• Versatile everyday bread – Use it for sandwiches, toast, French toast, grilled cheese, or simply warm with butter.
• Easy yeast dough – Made with instant yeast and everyday ingredients, with a straightforward dough that can be kneaded in a stand mixer or by hand.

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Step-by-step: Best Pullman sandwich bread recipe

Dough

• Liquid ingredients – Ensure milk is warm, not hot (about 110°F). In a small bowl, add the yeast, sugar, and egg. Stir and set aside to foam for 5 mins.
• Dry ingredients – In the large bowl of a stand mixer, with the dough hook attachment, combine the flour and salt. Then, add the yeast mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
  Pro tip – If you do not like kneading, I highly recommend using a stand mixer with the hook attachment.
• Combine – Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and combine on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  Pro tip – Avoid the temptation to add more flour. We want soft, light, and fluffy bread, and this is only possible when the dough is soft, elastic, yet slightly sticky.

• Knead – Once all the flour is incorporated, knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on medium speed until smooth. The dough will be soft and sticky.
  Pro tip – A soft and sticky dough is a light and airy bread, so don’t add more flour.
• Butter – Next, add the soft room-temperature butter a little at a time. Knead again for another 10 to 12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  Pro tip – When you add the butter, it will seem like the dough is falling apart. Trust the process and keep kneading. It will become smooth and shiny.
• Bowl – Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a ball. Then, place in an oiled bowl.
  Pro tip – Using a flexible bread scraper does a good job of removing the sticky dough from the bowl.

Rise, Shape, Proof

• Rise – Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen cloth. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in volume.
  Pro tip – In winter, you may need 90 minutes or more. But in summer, the dough may double in 45 minutes. If you can’t attend to it at that moment, de-gas, reshape, and let doubles in volume again.
• Shape – When the dough has doubled in volume, invert it onto a lightly floured surface. Next, start to roll like a jelly roll. Fold from the top to the center, then again once more towards the end. Pinch the seams together.
  Pro tip – The idea is to fold the dough into a nice, tight package. Folding helps strengthen the gluten strands and prevents loose, floppy bread.
• Proof – Place into a buttered Pullman loaf pan seam side down. Then, cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen cloth. Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost 2 inches from the top rim of the loaf pan.
• Cover – Once you see your dough is almost halfway up the sides, spray the cover of the Pullman pan lid and place it on.
  Pro tip – You want to place the lid on before it rises to the top, so you don’t ruin the rise.

Bake

• Oven – Once you see your dough is almost halfway up the sides, preheat the oven to 380°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5 for at least 20 minutes.
• Bake – Place the loaf pans on a baking sheet and into the oven.
  • Bake the 13-inch loaf for about 45 to 50 minutes,
  • Bake the 9-inch loaf for about 25 to 30 minutes,
  • and the 7-inch loaf for about 20 to 25 minutes.
    Pro tip – The bread is done when you tap the bottom of your loaf, and you will hear a hollow sound (or the internal temperature registers between 160° and 180°F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Cool – Partially open the lid and let it cool for 10 minutes – before you invert it onto a cooling rack. Then, cover it with a clean kitchen towel for 5 minutes to keep it soft.
  Pro tip – Wrapping the bread in a kitchen cloth will let the steam cool in the bread, keeping it soft.
• Note – Always let bread rest for at least an hour before you cut it – this is the hardest part!! But it will prevent the steam from escaping and making the bread dry.
• Enjoy!

Storage and Make Ahead

• Room temperature: Once completely cool, store the bread in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Avoid refrigerating it, as the refrigerator makes bread stale faster.
• Make ahead: Prepare the dough, let it complete its first rise, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, shape it, place it in the Pullman pan, and let it proof until ready before baking.
• Freeze the loaf: Wrap the completely cooled loaf well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped.
• Freeze slices: For sandwiches and toast, slice the loaf before freezing and separate portions with parchment. You can remove only what you need and toast slices straight from frozen.
• Refresh: If the bread has started to lose some softness, warm it briefly before serving.