I've been experimenting with bread lately. It is my son's absolute favorite thing to eat! One of the breads I had been dying to try is a Pullman loaf. Born out of the great railroad age, the Pullman loaf was used in Pullman train dining cars for sandwiches; it's where it gets its name. The bread was baked in a tight covered pan, and when baked, the loaves were perfectly squared - and perfectly sized and shaped for tight storage on the small train cars. Traditional loaves didn't stack very well, but Pullman loaves could be stacked three high!
Pullman loaves are not dense, but rather airy and light. Letting the dough rise in the confined space keeps air pockets from forming. Baking the bread with the lid on locks in moisture so the bread does not dry out. It's really a cool concept!
I looked at dozens of Pullman pans and read a ton of reviews before buying. this one. What I learned after researching is that this pan pictured here really tested best. The non-stick surface made bread rising, baking and removing a breeze. It also had a light surface so the bread didn't bake down dark.
The recipe I used called for the usual bread ingredients of flour, yeast, water, honey, etc.
I did the normal mix, knead, rest, etc. that is typical of baking bread. The pan is a bit larger than a normal loaf pan (about 4x4x16") and so it required a bit more dough than I would normally prepare.
Once the dough complete its first rise, I rolled it out and placed it into the pan. With the cover on, I let it rise a second time, keeping an eye on it so that it did not reach the absolute top of the pan.
The bread will rise a bit as it bakes so most recipes instruct you to leave a half inch or so of room on the top of the pan before baking.
I cut this one a bit short and should have let it rise a bit longer. I had visions of the dough busting the seams of the pan, so I treaded lightly for my first time.
When it was done baking, it looked and smelled amazing. The non-stick surface made taking the bread out of the pan to cool a breeze. We all tasted the bread and agreed it was great. I believe Aiden finished the loaf!
The loaf pan was not a cheap bread pan by any stretch of the imagination. I had to buy the pan and the lid separately and it took almost 4 weeks for the two to get to me. My pan arrived with a small dent in the side, but I decided to keep it since it wasn't easy to obtain and the lid still functioned properly. Do you need this pan to make amazing bread? No. Was it fun? Yes!
I have a few grilled sandwich recipes that call specifically for Pullman bread, and why not? It's visually interesting and when you bake it yourself, you can cut it as thick as you prefer. I'm planning to try another loaf specifically for French toast.
So, if trying new breads sounds interesting to you, consider the historied and timeless Pullman loaf. It's fun to use and the bread is great.