Pain De Mie

DIRECTIONS

• NOTE: Pain de mie is best made with a mixer.
• Remove butter from fridge and pound it soft with a rolling pin. You won't need to strike it more than 10 or 12 times. Make sure it can take the impression of your finger.
• Combine all ingredients except butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on slow speed for 4 minutes.
• Increase mixer speed to medium, add half the softened butter, nix for 1 minute. Add the remaining softened butter and mix n additional 5 minutes. All the butter should have disappeared into the dough, creating strength and suppleness.
• Cover dough and let it ferment for 1 1/4 hours, folding once after 45 minutes.
• Spray a 13-inch Pullman pan with nonstick spray.
• Carefully turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently de-gas the dough as you pat it into a rectangular shape.
• Divide the rectangle roughly in half. (Its OK if the aren't exactly the same weight).
• Shape each piece in a baguette like rope, about 20 inches long. Lightly twist the ropes together and place in pullman pan.
• Put lid on the pan but leave it open 1-2 inches so you can check progress of dough as it proofs. The dough will require 1 to 1 1.2 hours to achieve full volume. It's ready to bake when the top surface of the dough is about 1/2 inch below the lid of the pan. Close lid completely before baking.
• Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 F and bake another 25 minutes. Remove the lid from the pan and bake for another 10 minutes. Check the sidewall of the loaf. They should be solid and golden brown. If they aren't, invert pan and let the pan de mie slide out o a shet pan. Bake for an extra 5 minutes, or until the sidewall have enough structure to hold up the weight of the loaf.