Pain de mie is a French sandwich bread with four square corners baked in a Pullman loaf pan. This simple, easy and effortless 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.
What is it about four square corners that make perfect sandwich bread. When I grew up, a sandwich bread meant two perfect slices of bread that had four square corners. And, anything else had to be called something else. In fact, my mom made this bread once a week, and it was the only bread we use 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.
Things are so much different today. I am not so fussy about bread and I'm very happy with a whole wheat sandwich bread for my breakfast. And yet, I do remember when mom would have to make a couple of different loaves of bread during the week. Since each bread had its specific purpose. For example, we had this Pullman sandwich bread of breakfast. In addition, we had the regular white sandwich bread, which is baked in a loaf pan for meat sandwiches. And, of course, we also had whole wheat rustic bread when she made a slow-cooked kinda dish.
Remember the good old days?
When our moms and grandmom ran the kitchen, they really worked so hard. It was a tough life. They made everything from scratch and I don't ever remember hearing mom complain. God forbid my kids should complain. HA! These days, I make what I can and when I have the time and we make do with what's in the house. The Pullman sandwich bread may be the perfect bread for sandwiches, but if a whole wheat walnut bread is all we have, then that's what we shall eat with butter.
Pullman sandwich bread vs. White sandwich bread
First, all bread made in a loaf pan can be used to make sandwiches. And yet, to be characterized as a Pullman sandwich bread, you must have four square corners. Yup!! Since, that's the defining characteristic of this bread. And, that shape actually comes from using a specific loaf pan that has a nifty sliding lid. In fact, you actually bake the bread with the lid on. So, when the bread rises as it bakes it fill into the corners of the pan on all sides giving it those perfect square corners.
I'm not really sure how true this really is, but I read somewhere that the Pullman Railway company invented this bread to make storage and transport easy. And, with this shape, they could stack the bread over each other using space more efficiently.
The texture of the Pullman sandwich bread is supposed to be soft, light and fluffy, so you must have a good recipe that when baked in a closed pan give you a perfect bread, not too dense nor too limp.
The Pullman loaf pan
This is not a pan you buy so often. And just because you buy a Pullman loaf pan does not mean you can't make regular sandwich loaves in there. If you do not use the lid what you have is a regular sandwich loaf with a round edge. I love those too! However, if you buy a regular loaf pan then you can't make a Pullman sandwich bread without the lid.
So, the smart choice according to me? If you must buy one loaf pan - buy the Pullman sandwich loaf pan that way you can make the regular bread without the lid or a Pullman sandwich bread with the lid. You can see me use it without the lid when I made my white sandwich bread, as well as whole wheat sandwich bread - both these are made with this same pan but without the lid.
A Word on quality
I cannot stress this enough. It is very important that you buy a good quality pan. Nothing is worse than to spend time on bread and to have it stuck in the pan, or the lid does not work after one or two bakes. (often an issue with low-quality metal) A good quality pan will last you for years and will be a pleasure to use over and over again.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – Often bread flour is recommended for making homemade bread. But, I have been making bread now for over 10 years and back then I didn't have bread flour as an option so I've always used all-purpose flour. I continue to use all-purpose and highly recommend you do as well.
- Instant dry yeast – I like to use instant dry because I’ve always had great success with it. If you have to use active dry yeast you will need 2 ¼ tsp or one packet. And if you use fresh yeast you will need about 21 grams. Also, it’s not necessary to activate the yeast but I like to take the guesswork out and make sure my dough will rise.
- Sugar – The sugar in most bread is not really to add sweetness. The sugar and fat are there to feed the yeast. Just as you need warm liquid to activate the yeast you need sugar and fat to strengthen it and let it grow. If you prefer you can substitute sugar with 2 tbsp of honey.
- Butter – I like adding butter not just to feed the yeast but also to add flavor. You can substitute the butter for 2 tbsp of oil in this recipe.
- Eggs - add a lot of flavor to the bread, give a tender crumb and strengthens the texture. The egg is also a leavening agent that helps the bread rise. You can omit the egg if necessary, but you will need to use less flour than the recipe states as the egg is a liquid ingredient.
- Milk - enhances the flavor, tenderizes the dough giving it a soft texture.
Step by step instructions (Save/Pin)
This recipe will make one 13 x 4 x 4 loaf or two 7 x 4 x 4 loaves.
Prepare yeast
- Ensure milk is warm, not hot (about 110 F).
- Add the yeast, sugar, and egg.
- Stir and set aside to foam for 5 mins.
Prepare dough
- Add flour in a mixer bowl.
- Mix in the salt and yeast mixture.
- Knead on medium speed for about a minute scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Once all the flour is incorporated.
- Knead the dough for three minutes until smooth.
- The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Next, add the soft room temperature butter.
- knead again for 2 minutes until smooth and elastic but still soft.
- Note - If using a stand mixer, you may need to add the reserved flour for kneading to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl. If kneading by hand, use the reserved flour as required for kneading to prevent the dough sticking to the work surface
Prove dough (1st rise)
- Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
- Form into a smooth ball.
- Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in volume.
Shape the loaf
- When the dough is double in volume invert on to a lightly floured surface.
- Divide into two - to make two loaves.
- Start to roll like a jelly roll.
- Fold from top to the center then again once more towards the end.
- Pinch the seams together.
- Place into a buttered Pullman loaf pan seam side down.
Prove loaf (2nd rise)
- Cover loaf pan with plastic wrap.
- Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost 2 inches from the top rim of the loaf pan.
- Once you see your dough is almost halfway up the sides - preheat the oven to 190 C / 380 F for at least 10 minutes.
Bake loaf
- Cover the loaf pan with its lid.
- Place the loaf pan on the center rack in the hot oven.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- The bread is done - when you tap the bottom of your loaf and you will hear a hollow sound.
- Partially open the lid and let cool for 10 minutes - before you remove and let cool completely.
- Always let bread rest for at least an hour before you cut - this is the hardest part!!
- Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions?
If stored properly this white bread will stay for 4 to 5 days at room temperature. It can be frozen for a month or more too. Never store bread in the fridge as it dries out.
Yes, you can. Just omit the egg in the recipe. You may need ½ to ¾ cup less flour in the recipe. Everything else remains the same.
Pain de mie is a soft white or brown sliced bread in French. 'Pain' means bread and '(de) la mie' refers to the soft part of the bread. In English, pain de mie is similar to a Pullman loaf or regular sandwich bread.
Yes. A Pullman bread pan is a loaf pan with straight sides and a lid. So, when you bake it you have four right angles unlike traditional sandwich bread with a dome. While this recipe is especially calculated for a Pullman loaf pan you can definitely bake it in a regular sandwich loaf pan.
Ideally, it works best to buy a pan but if you want you can cover the top of a regular loaf pan firmly with foil. Of course, you will have a flat top but the rest of the corners will still be the shape of the original pan. So while not perfect it will be a squarish loaf.
Yes, with a few tweaks. Bread from white wheat flour will be softer in texture than whole wheat bread and needs a little less water. I recommend using my whole wheat sandwich bread recipe which uses both white and whole wheat flour.
This bread doesn't usually last long in our home and these never go to waste. For example, these are great to use in French toast as well as toasted or grilled sandwiches.
Also, any hard leftover bread can be pulsed in the food processor and used for coating schnitzel or breaded Crispy Chicken.
There are many good pans and I have used some over the years. Most important thing is that the lid will work after a few uses. That has been my issue in the past. That after several uses the lid does not fit!! Therefore, the advantage of buying a Pullman pan is that you can use it with or without the lid for regular sandwich bread.
Currently, I have purchased these which came highly recommended and I quite like them.
No, brioche dough is richer with more butter and more eggs. And, I have a brioche loaf which also uses a Pullman loaf pan.
Absolutely. You can bake this in a standard loaf pan. However, the top will be rounded not square just like we did in my classic sandwich bread recipe.
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Pullman Sandwich Bread aka Pain de Mie Recipe
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Ingredients
This recipe will make one 13 x 4 x 4 loaf or two 7 x 4 x 4 loaves.
- 1 ½ cup (360 ml) Warm milk (110 F)
- 4 tbsp Butter room temperature
- 1 Egg large
- 2 ¼ tsp (7 g) Instant dry yeast (1 tbsp - 1 packet)
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) All-purpose flour for kneading
Instructions
Prepare Yeast
- Ensure milk is warm, not hot (about 110 F).
- Add the yeast, sugar, and egg.
- Stir and set aside to foam for 5 mins.
Prepare Dough
- Add flour in a mixer bowl.
- Mix in the salt and yeast mixture.
- Knead on medium speed for about a minutes scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Once all the flour is incorporated.
- Knead the dough for three minutes until smooth.
- The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Next, add the soft room temperature butter.
- knead again for 2 minutes until smooth and elastic but still soft.
- Note - If using a stand mixer, you may need to add the reserved flour for kneading to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl. If kneading by hand, use the reserved flour as required for kneading to prevent the dough sticking to the work surface
Prove Dough (1st rise)
- Remove the dough from the mixer bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
- Form into a smooth ball.
- Place in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in volume.
Shape the Loaf
- When the dough is double in volume invert on to a lightly floured surface.
- Divide into two - to make two loaves.
- Start to roll like a jelly roll.
- Fold from top to the center then again once more towards the end.
- Pinch the seams together.
- Place into a buttered Pullman loaf pan seam side down.
Prove Loaf (2nd rise)
- Cover loaf pan with plastic wrap.
- Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes until almost 2 inches from the top rim of the loaf pan.
- Once you see your dough is almost halfway up the sides - preheat the oven to 190 C / 380 F for at least 10 minutes.
Bake Loaf
- Cover the loaf pan with its lid.
- Place the loaf pan on the center rack in the hot oven.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- The bread is done - when you tap the bottom of your loaf and you will hear a hollow sound.
- Partially open the lid and let cool for 10 minutes - before you remove and let cool completely.
- Always let bread rest for at least an hour before you cut - this is the hardest part!!
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips for making the perfect sandwich bread every single time
- Measure all ingredients ahead of time so you don't forget anything at the last minute.
- For accuracy use a weight measure for the ingredients because every cup of flour can weigh differently depending on how you fill it.
- The milk must be warm (not hot) about 110F. If the milk is too hot it will kill the yeast, similarly, if the milk is too cold it will not activate the yeast.
- Though instant dry yeast has a long shelf life, it can get ruined. Always check the expiry on the yeast. If unsure, combine the yeast with water/milk, sugar/honey, and oil/butter from the recipe and let stand 5 minutes. If it gets foamy the yeast is good to go if not best to buy fresh yeast or check the temperature of the milk
- Keep salt away from yeast as it can kill the yeast. I like to combine it with the flour then add it to the yeast mixture.
- A soft loose well-hydrated dough is not necessarily a bad thing, it often will give you soft fuffy bread so don't be tempted to add more flour than mentioned in the recipe.
- Kneading is key to making good bread. While kneading by hand can be therapeutic using a stand mixer is easier and quicker
- Leave the dough at room temperature to rise until double in volume. While not recommended when in haste you can place it in a warm (not hot) oven this will expedite the rise.
- Bread does not have to be time-consuming. You can leave the dough in the fridge to rise for a few hours (even overnight) while you go about your chores. A slow rise will give more flavor to the bread.
- Always preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before you place bread in or the low temperature will spread the dough too much.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Lovey
I made my first pullman bread today using your receipe and I must say, it was delicious and my family was not only impressed, but they loved it! I followed your receipe and I was nervous as to how it would come out since I've tried making bread without success including sourdough. Thank you so much for sharing your receipe!
Veena Azmanov
I am so happy to hear that Lovey. Thank you for the lovely feedback
Jeff Rule
Made my second loaf. The first was over proofed on the first and second rise and as such did not quite fill the pan to the top. The second loaf I was more careful with the time and it turned out great. I used AP flour and a mixer but the dough was really quite sticky even after kneading with the dough hook for 5 minutes. I added probably another 1/4 cup beyond the base and recommended 'extra'. It turned out great, but I will probably try and stick close to the recommended amount of flour next time. Thanks for the write up and all the helpful advice here getting my first pullman loaf to succeed
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Jeff. So happy to hear you had success with this recipe. The system won't let your comment through with the links, to prevent span so I'd appreciate if you can add your image here below my image - using the add photo link here on Pinterest - Thanks for the feedback
Terrie
I've tried 3 different pullman bread recipes, but yours is by far the best. My family loves it, and I am at this very moment waiting for the first rise on a 4-loaf batch. Thank you for a great recipe.
Veena Azmanov
You are very welcome Terrie. Thank you for the feedback
Joelle
My loaf rose a 2nd time and it had about 1 in till the top. I put the lid on and baked it as you suggested. But it seems like my loaf deflated some so the top never rose to the lid to cause the browning and the perfect shape. Do you know what might have happened? Why did my loaf deflate?
Veena Azmanov
Joell. Usually, if it made it to 1-inch in the cake outside, it definitely would make it further with the oven heat.
Unless the bread was over-proofed which caused it to sink.
You must let it rise for 45 mins or until it is close to double.
Often people wait until double to start preheating the oven. This often becomes too late...
or they put the bread an oven not properly heated.
Lynne Cover
Hello! Would this recipe work with fine almond flour? Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Lynne. I have not tried it with almond flour or gluten-free flour. I suggest you look for a tried and tested recipe. Sorry.
Joelle
What if I don't want to activate the yeast? What would the steps be to add the yeast, sugar, and milk to the flour without activation?
Veena Azmanov
You can add the yeast directly to the flour and add the rest of the ingredients directly to the flour as well.
Tom
I followed the recipe exactly as written and the bread is epic! My oven cooks a bit fast and at 25 minutes the temperature of the bread was 198 degree F. So pulled from the oven...makes perfect toast, too!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Tom for the lovely feedback. I am so happy you enjoyed making this bread