Buttermilk Bread

We have two new neighbors move in within the past month, and I have been wanting to get over to welcome them and share contact information for weeks, but it didn’t work out over and over due to illness and life. This week, using a recipe that is new to me, I baked a couple loaves of bread—one for each—intending to stop by and meet them both while it was nearly still warm. But I was way too exhausted each evening, and Chris got off work late to boot.

Finally tonight we were able to try both doorbells, but only one was home. Lovely to meet the neighbor, bread was perfect given they were making soup for dinner at that very moment, so success. But the second loaf isn’t going to hold another day (or two) if we can’t pin down the other neighbor, so I decided I would make a fresh loaf, and we got to try the bread.


OMG!

My new favorite!! So simple, so tasty, and uses buttermilk powder which I keep on hand for other recipes and keeps a long time. The crumb is dense and moist, the crust firm without being too hard—perfect sandwich bread. Here ya go, baker-friends:

(PS I did an egg white and water wash before baking and it came out shiny!)

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups bread flour
• 1 cup water (hot tap water works great)
• 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
• 4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (or two packages)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp buttermilk powder + 1 cup water (or 1 cup buttermilk)
• 1/3 cup butter, cut into pieces
• Egg white + water (or a little melted butter) for finishing

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together 4 cups of your flour to the sugar, yeast, salt, buttermilk powder and baking soda. You can do this in your Kitchenaid or by hand.
2. Combine hot tap water (or heat buttermilk in microwave to 115/120ish) and butter. The butter doesn't need to melt, but it will melt a bit and that's fine. Just make sure the water isn't too hot or it will kill your yeast. You want the yeast warm and happy and munching on those sugars.
3. Add this liquid/butter to the flour mixture and mix on Speed 2 for a minute.
4. Begin adding the rest of your flour a 1/2 cup at a time, letting it incorporate between scoops, scraping down sides as needed, until it forms a soft dough. Let it knead the dough for a couple of minutes, or remove to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 6-8 minutes if you prefer.
5. Form dough into a big ball and let rest under a towel for 10 minutes. It will rise a bit and look smooth and lovely when it's done.
6. Divide your dough into two, roll each half in turn on a lightly floured surface to about a 7"X12" rectangle. You can gently stretch and massage it into shape as you go.
7. Roll it up tightly like a jellyroll, tug the ends into a little flap and fold to the underside, forming a smooth log with the seams pinched closed on the underside. Repeat with other dough piece.
8. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper or grease, placing a dough log in each.
9. Cover pans with a towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
10. Mix an egg white with water (50/50), brush tops of each loaf for a glossy finish. (alternately, you can brush with melted butter at the END of the baking process)
11. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to a cooling rack. Enjoy!