Soft Buttermilk Sandwich Bread
A beautifully chewy homemade sandwich bread with an added touch of buttermilk flavor. This bread is great for sandwiches, toast or straight out of the oven. With an added ingredient to keep it fresher for longer!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/3 cup warm water 110 degrees
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup buttermilk 110 degrees
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast
INSTRUCTIONS
First, heat the oven to 200 degrees. Once the temperature reaches 200, hold the heat for 10 minutes and then turn the oven off.
Then, in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, water, honey and melted butter.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, baking powder and salt at low speed. Slowly add the milk mixture and allow the dough to come together for about 2 minutes.
Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth, about 10 minutes. Scrape the bowl if necessary. Transfer the dough to the lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a round, smooth ball.
Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in hot oven for 40 to 50 minutes until size doubles.
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and press into a rectangle 1 inch thick and no more than 9 inches, with the long side facing you. Roll the dough towards you in a firm cylinder, keeping the roller tight by folding it under itself as you go. Turn the seam side of the loaf down into the pan, pressing gently at the corners. Cover loaf lightly with plastic and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. The dough should barely bounce when gently poked.
Keep one oven rack in the lowest position and place the other in the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place an empty baking dish on the lower rack. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour boiling water into the empty pot on the lower rack and place the bread on the middle rack. Bake in oven until crust is golden or a thermometer reads 195 degrees, 40 to 50 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Slice and serve. (Bread can be wrapped in double-layered plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days. Wrap with an additional layer of foil and freeze for up to a month.) Happy Cooking Time.
