NEW RSS feed! | Mon 02.23.09 |
Buttermilk White Bread |
In my continuing efforts to prepare as much as my food from my own hands as I can, I have been making my own bread. For anything that you consume regularly, I think it's important to actually prepare it for yourself at least once so that you know what goes into it. This particular bread is really simple to pull to together and gives such good results that I've been making it quite often. It freezes really well too, so I try to have a loaf stashed away in the freezer as often as I can.
The first time I made this was for a get-together to serve with brisket and coleslaw. My friend decided at the last minute to buy most of the food, but I draw the line at the Wonder-Bread-type awfulness you get in the supermarket aisles, and the bakery I frequent doesn't make a basic white bread (who would want to eat a baguette with their brisket and coleslaw?). So, necessity, the mother of my bread-making obsession.
The original recipe is from the totally awesome Susan at A Year in Bread. As she explains here, a white bread like this really benefits from interrupting the kneading process by a brief rest called the autolyse: After the ingredients (sans salt!) are combined into a shaggy dough, you knead it for several minutes then let it rest for 20 minutes or so before adding salt and finishing kneading for another several minutes. Susan explains it thoroughly on her site, but the idea is to let the gluten in the flour relax and absorb moisture. Salt will cause the gluten to tighten up, so it should be added only after this rest.
From there, it is the usual run down for yeast-leavened bread: let the dough rise (the fermentation) in a warm place for an hour or so until when you poke it deep with your finger the indentation doesn't close up on itself, then divide, shape into loaves, and let rise again (the proofing) for another 45 to 60 minutes until it springs back slightly when poked, and then bake it in a humid oven.
I've taken to using buttermilk in this recipe instead of milk or water, as I like the slight the slight tang and richness it gives the bread. It's quite good with a few tablespoons of honey added as well. Once the loaves are done, I like to brush the tops with melted butter to soften the crust, and then immediately add a sprinkle of salt.
It takes some time from start to finish, but most of it is just waiting for the dough to rise during which you can do other things. And your patience will be rewarded with three loaves of really fantastic white bread: tender but substantial, with a deep wheat-y aroma and a creamy crumb.
Buttermilk White Bread
4 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached)
5-6 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons instant yeast
4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
In a large bowl, combine the AP flour, sugar, and yeast, and then form a well. Pour the oil and buttermilk into the well and then quickly mix in the dry ingredients to incorporate. Still stirring quickly, sprinkle in the bread flour 1 cup at a time, waiting until each cup is incorporated. You need use only as much bread flour until you get a soft dough that might still be a little sticky - usually 5 cups but it can be up to 6.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and begin kneading for 5-6 minutes, then cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 20 minutes. Afterwards, knead in the salt and continue kneading for another 5-6 minutes, until the salt is well mixed in and the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp towel, and put in a warm place for an hour or so.
Once you can deeply insert your finger into the dough and the hole doesn't close up on itself, the first rise is done. Punch down the dough, divide it into three, and then shape into loaves. Place each loaf in a buttered and floured loaf pan, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes. Turn on the oven to 375°F.
Once the loaves spring back slightly when poked, they are ready to be baked. Spritz the walls of the oven with a spray bottle of water, then add the loaf pans. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the loaves give a hollow sound when tapped. Turn out the loaves onto a wire rack to cool. Brush the tops with melted butter and then sprinkle on a bit of salt.
4 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached)
5-6 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons instant yeast
4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
In a large bowl, combine the AP flour, sugar, and yeast, and then form a well. Pour the oil and buttermilk into the well and then quickly mix in the dry ingredients to incorporate. Still stirring quickly, sprinkle in the bread flour 1 cup at a time, waiting until each cup is incorporated. You need use only as much bread flour until you get a soft dough that might still be a little sticky - usually 5 cups but it can be up to 6.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and begin kneading for 5-6 minutes, then cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 20 minutes. Afterwards, knead in the salt and continue kneading for another 5-6 minutes, until the salt is well mixed in and the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp towel, and put in a warm place for an hour or so.
Once you can deeply insert your finger into the dough and the hole doesn't close up on itself, the first rise is done. Punch down the dough, divide it into three, and then shape into loaves. Place each loaf in a buttered and floured loaf pan, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise for another 45-60 minutes. Turn on the oven to 375°F.
Once the loaves spring back slightly when poked, they are ready to be baked. Spritz the walls of the oven with a spray bottle of water, then add the loaf pans. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the loaves give a hollow sound when tapped. Turn out the loaves onto a wire rack to cool. Brush the tops with melted butter and then sprinkle on a bit of salt.
