This sourdough pain de mie is a bread that radiates warmth and coziness. As-is, it’s remarkably soft, but crisps up in total when exposed to the heat of a toaster, transforming into the perfect stage for quality butter and all the jams and jellies made through the summer. There’s a depth of flavor to be found here, too: flavor that strikes a delicate balance of sweetness, warmth, and brightness.

And yet, my recipe can hardly be called complicated or involved. You can use a ripe sourdough starter directly, make a mild overnight levain, and even push the proof of the dough overnight until the next day. This sort of back pocket bread is something every baker should have in their repertoire. An “oh man we have guests coming tonight?!” bread — much like my focaccia recipe.