Julia Child Pain de Mie Recipe

Julia Child Pain de Mie is the soft French sandwich bread baked in a covered pan for a perfectly rectangular shape with minimal crust. The name means “bread of the crumb” because it’s all about that pillowy interior.

You won’t find this easily in American bakeries, which is why Julia included it in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (pages 75-82). She wrote that it’s “essential for professional-looking canapés, appetizers, and fancy sandwiches.” The covered pan creates an evenly rectangular loaf with a thin crust that slices like a dream.

Different from crusty French bread, pain de mie is soft, rich, and buttery. This is what French households actually eat for everyday sandwiches and toast.

What is Pain de Mie? French sandwich bread baked in a lidded (Pullman) pan. Enriched with milk and butter, it has a tender crumb, thin crust, and perfect rectangular shape for slicing.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect sandwich bread. Even slices, thin crust, soft interior.
• Makes everything elegant. Tea sandwiches, canapés, croque monsieur.
• Better with age. Flavor improves after 24 hours. Even better at 36.
• Freezes beautifully. Make ahead and thaw when needed.
• French toast heaven. The tender crumb absorbs custard perfectly.

Julia Child Pain de Mie Ingredients

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 2, Pages 75-82. Makes one 8-cup loaf.

• 1 package active dry yeast (or 0.6 oz fresh)
• 3 Tb warm water (not over 100°F)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1⅓ cups tepid milk (70-74°F)
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 Tb (½ stick) chilled butter

Equipment needed:

• Pullman pan (lidded bread pan) or regular loaf pan with foil and weight
• 5-lb weight (brick or heavy pan)

Don’t have a Pullman pan? Use a regular 9×5 loaf pan covered with greased foil, weighed down with a baking sheet and a brick.

How To Make Julia Child Pain de Mie

Step 1: Mix the Dough

1. Dissolve yeast: Stir yeast into warm water. Let liquefy completely.
2. Combine: Add yeast mixture, salted milk, and flour to a bowl. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Rest: Turn onto floured surface. Let rest 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Knead

4. Knead the dough: Lift, flip, and slap until dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
5. Add butter: Soften the chilled butter by beating with a rolling pin. Smear butter into dough bit by bit, using the heel of your hand. It will get messy, then come back together.
6. Rest and finish: Let rest 2-3 minutes, knead briefly until smooth.

Step 3: First Rise (3-4 hours)

7. Mark the bowl: Fill with 10½ cups water, mark the level, empty and dry.
8. Rise: Place dough in bowl, cover with plastic. Let rise at 70°F until it reaches the marked level.

Step 4: Second Rise (1½-2 hours)

9. Deflate: Turn dough onto floured surface. Pat into rectangle, fold like a business letter (right side in, left side over). Fold again.
10. Rise again: Return to bowl, cover. Rise until almost tripled.

Step 5: Shape and Final Rise (40-60 minutes)

11. Grease the pan: Butter the Pullman pan or loaf pan thoroughly.
12. Shape the loaf: Pat dough into rectangle slightly longer than pan. Fold lengthwise, seal, fold again. Place seam-side down in pan. Press into corners.
13. Final rise: Let rise uncovered at 75-80°F until dough fills pan by no more than ¾. Don’t over-rise or it will burst the lid.

Step 6: Bake (40 minutes)

14. Cover and bake: Slide the Pullman lid on (or cover with greased foil, baking sheet, and weight). Bake at 435°F for 35-40 minutes.
15. Check doneness: Bread should shrink from sides and sound hollow when thumped. Crust should be lightly browned.
16. Cool: Unmold and cool completely on a rack, 1½-2 hours.

Recipe Tips

• Butter goes in after kneading: This is the French technique. Knead the dough first, then work in softened butter.
• Don’t over-rise the final proof: In a covered pan, dough needs room to expand. Only fill ¾ or it may burst.
• Age before slicing: Wait 12-24 hours for best flavor. 36 hours for paper-thin slices.
• Weight the lid: Even with a Pullman pan, a brick on top ensures the bread stays flat.
• Freeze for convenience: Pain de mie freezes perfectly. Thaw in wrapper.

Recipe Variations

Without Butter: Omit the butter for a lighter, whiter loaf. Better for Melba toast.

Raisin Bread: Soak 1-1½ cups raisins in hot water, drain, dry, and knead into dough after the butter.

Conventional Loaf (Open Pan): Skip the covered pan. Let dough rise to edge of pan, brush with milk glaze, bake uncovered. You’ll get a rounded top instead of flat.

What To Use Pain de Mie For

This bread is made for:

• Croque monsieur and croque madame
• Tea sandwiches and finger sandwiches
• Canapés and appetizer toasts
• French toast (pain perdu)
• Melba toast
• Elegant toast points with pâté

Making Melba Toast

Julia included instructions for turning pain de mie into Melba toast:

1. Use bread that’s 2 days old
2. Slice less than 1/16 inch thick with a very sharp knife
3. Arrange overlapping on baking sheets
4. Bake at 275°F for about 1 hour, turning occasionally
5. Done when crisp, slightly curly, pale brown
6. Store airtight or freeze

Perfect with consommé, foie gras, or caviar.

How To Store

Refrigerator: Wrap airtight after cooling completely. Flavor and texture improve after 12-24 hours.

Freezer: Freezes perfectly. Thaw in wrapper at room temperature or in fridge.

Slicing Note: For very thin slices (sandwiches, Melba toast), wait 36 hours after baking.

Nutrition Facts

Per 1-oz slice:

• Calories: 80 kcal
• Protein: 2g
• Total Fat: 2g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 140mg
• Cholesterol: 5mg

FAQs

Source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 2 by Julia Child, Pages 75-82

– Claire