Pullman Loaf Recipe

Pullman loaf recipe or cube bread recipe with step-by-step pictures. Cube bread or cube shaped bread is very popular sandwich bread just like my white bread recipe. The bread is made using basic ingredients like flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt but the dough is shaped in special loaf pan called as Pullman's loaf pan which gives it the authentic cube shape.

Pullman Loaf

I bought this bread mould few months back and nearly forgot about it. Couple days back I saw the loaf pan and decided to bake a bread. I figured out the proper measurement for the bread and got into action. To my surprise the bread turned out super soft and cute in shape.

About Pullman Loaf Recipe

This loaf of bread is very easy to make and it is made using a special loaf pan called as Pullman's loaf pan. The bread is made using basic ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, yeast, egg and oil. It is a very basic standard bread recipe. The bread gets it unique shape through the pain and it stays so soft. 

I used one egg in the recipe but you can skip egg totally. Check my notes section for egg alternative. I used this pullman loaf pan from amazon.

Similar Recipes,
Whole Wheat Bread
Multi Grain Bread
Oats Honey Bread
Milk Honey Bread
Garlic and herb bread

Watch Pullman Loaf Video

Pullman Loaf Ingredients

Warm Water - I used water to make this loaf of bread. You can use half milk and half water which makes the loaf extra soft but it reduces the shelf life of the bread.

Dry Yeast - Use fresh batch of yeast. Make sure you activate the yeast before making the loaf.

Sugar - instead of sugar you can use honey or maple syrup.

All Purpose Flour - plain flour makes soft bread. But for healthy option you can make this with half wheat flour and half plain flour.

Salt - as always salt enhances the taste of the bread.

Egg - This recipe for making cube bread uses egg which makes the bread soft and fluffy.

Oil or Melted Butter - You can use any one of the fat in the bread to help with the moist texture.

How to Activate Yeast for Bread

1)take warm water in a bowl. Use Luke warm water. Dip your finger in the water and it should be very warm. Just like a warm bath water.

2)sprinkle little sweetness like sugar, honey. Because yeast loves warm and sweet environment.

3)now sprinkle yeast over it. I use dry yeast.

4) leaves aside for 5 mins to activate. The yeast mix should be bubbly and foamy. This means yeast is activated.

How to Make Soft Bread

The Yeast Mix: Mix together milk with little sugar and yeast in a bowl. to activate the yeast.

The Dough: Making the dough in a stand mixer is best. Since the dough is sticky. Add all ingredients to the stand mixer. Use dough hook attachment in the mixer and mix till it comes together.

Butter or oil : You can use olive oil in buns. but butter makes the bread so rich and buttery.

Proofing of the Dough: Leave the dough to rise in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours till it is doubled in size.

Final Proof: Shape the loaf. Leave to rise for 30 mins to 1 hour. If you let it rise for longer, the bun may collapse when baking.

Baking: Bake the bread till it is done. 

Resting: Rest the bread for few hours before slicing for even slices.

How to Get Square Shaped Bread

For getting proper square shaped bread. Place the dough into the loaf pan. Cover and let it rise. The dough should rise till the top. There should be 1 inch gap between the lid so the bread gets it cube shape beautifully when baked.

How to Make Pullman Loaf Recipe

Activating yeast

Start by activating yeast. Take warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Set aside for 5 mins so the yeast can activate. It will get foamy and bubbly. 

Wet Ingredients

Now to the foamy yeast mixture. Add in egg and oil. You can use melted butter instead of oil. mix well and Set aside.

Making Bread Dough

Now in a stand mixer bowl, take flour, salt and mix well. Add in the yeast mixture and start kneading for 5 mins. The dough will be pretty soft and sticky.  If you are using hands to knead, first use spoon to mix the water into the flour and then use your hands to knead. If you feel the dough is very sticky, you can sprinkle some flour into the dough and knead. Once the dough is mixed well, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.

First Proofing

Finally add in 1 tsp oil into the dough and spread evenly. Cover and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours till double in size.

Preparing Loaf Pan

Now take your pullman loaf pan. Apply oil on it, don’t forget to grease the lid as well. Set this aside.

Now take the proofed dough, spread it evenly. Fold from both sides and fold from other side as well. So it forms into a ball like. Seam the ends together and gently remove it. 

Final proofing

Place the seam side down into the loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for another 35 to 40 mins. The dough should rise till the top. There should be 1 inch gap between the lid so the bread gets it cube shape beautifully when baked.

Baking

During the last 15 mins of the final rising. Preheat oven to 200 degree C. Pop the pan into the oven and let it bake for 25 to 30 mins.  Remove the pan from oven, let it cool for 30 mins. Un mould and let it cool completely for few hours before slicing. 

How to Make Pullman Loaf (Stepwise pictures)

Activating Yeast

1) Start by activating yeast. Take warm water, sugar in a bowl or jug. Make sure the water is very warm and not hot.

Pro tip: If you don't want to use sugar, you can use honey or maple syrup in the bread. Some kind of sugar is important to activate the yeast.

2)Sprinkle yeast over the warm water. Use a fork to mix it gently and set aside.

3)Set aside for 5 mins so the yeast can activate. It will get foamy and bubbly. 

Mixing Wet Ingredients

4)Now to the foamy yeast mixture. Add in egg. Egg helps with the fluffy texture of the bread.

5)Add oil. You can use melted butter instead of oil.

6)mix well and Set aside. This is your wet ingredients.

Making Pull man loaf dough

7)Now in a stand mixer bowl, take flour, salt and mix well. Add in the yeast mixture and start kneading for 5 mins.

8)The dough will be pretty soft and sticky.  If you are using hands to knead, first use spoon to mix the water into the flour and then use your hands to knead.

9)If you feel the dough is very sticky, you can sprinkle some flour into the dough and knead. Once the dough is mixed well, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.

Finally add in 1 tsp oil into the dough and spread evenly. Cover and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours till double in size.

First Proofing of Dough

10)Make sure your dough is almost doubled in size. Depending upon the temperature, it will take around 1 to 2 hours.

Greasing Moulds

11)Now take your pullman loaf pan. Apply oil on it, don’t forget to grease the lid as well. Set this aside.

Shaping Bread

12)Now take the proofed dough onto work surface. I like to use my silipat sheet. But you can transfer to any clean dry surface.

13)spread it evenly like a rectangle. Fold from bottom as well as fold from other side as well.

14)Now fold it from opposite sides. So it forms into a ball like. Seam the ends together. This makes the loaf tight and managable.

Proofing the Bread

13)Place the seam side down into the loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for another 35 to 40 mins. The dough should rise till the top. There should be 1 inch gap between the lid so the bread gets it cube shape beautifully when baked.

Baking Pull man loaf

15)During the last 15 mins of the final rising. Preheat oven to 200 degree C. Cover the pan with lid. Pop the pan into the oven and let it bake for 25 to 30 mins. 

16)Remove the pan from oven, let it cool for 30 minutes in the mould.

Slicing & Serving

17) Un mould and let it cool completely for few hours before slicing. 

18)Use a serrated knife also known as bread knife for slicing bread.

Expert Tips

• Make sure you use warm water and not hot. If your water is hot then your yeast will die.
• Instead of water, milk can be used for more soft bread. But bread made with milk doesn’t stay good longer. You might want to store the bread in fridge.
• Kneading is key to making good bread. While kneading by hand can be therapeutic using a stand mixer is easier and quicker.
• Always preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before you place bread in or the low temperature will spread the dough too much.
• Baking bread in pullman loaf pan gives you the cube shape. you can use the same recipe to bake the bread in a regular loaf pan. 

FAQ

1)Why my bread is not rising? My dough is not doubling up? Why my bread is dense?

The answer to all these questions may lie on one ingredient which is yeast. 

• You must have added yeast to too hot water so the yeast has died.
• You have used cold water so yeast didn’t activated.
• Your yeast is expired.

2)How to Store yeast for longer shelf life?

Always store yeast in freezer in an air right container.

3)Can you over knead dough?

If you think you've over-kneaded the dough, try letting it rise a little longer before shaping it.

4)What happens if I don't knead my dough enough?

If you don't knead your dough enough by hand or if you don't allow it enough time in your mixer, the dough will lack strength. Once baked, an under-kneaded bread loaf will be flat and dense in texture

5)What are the square breads called?

It is also called as pullman, cube bread. 

More Bread Recipes to Try

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