Homemade Buttermilk Bread
Homemade Buttermilk Bread with the delicate flavor of honey. The stronger the honey the better the flavor. so use pure raw honey, buckwheat or another strong flavor.
Ingredients :
1 tablespoon/packet yeast, I usually use 1 because I buy in bulk.
1 pinch powdered ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water, 105F
2 cups warm buttermilk, 105F
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups white bread flour, divided use
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled so that it is warm to the touch but not hot.
Directions :
1 ) In a medium-sized bowl mix the yeast, ginger, sugar, and 110F water, and set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy.
2 ) Whisk the buttermilk, honey, salt, and baking soda together and add it to the yeast mixture.
3 ) Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes on low of a stand mixer. and pour in the butter until it is totally mixed into the batter.
4 ) Add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping the mixer on low speed, and when the dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a lightly floured surface. Knead until elastic and smooth. (You can also knead in your mixer according to manufacturer’s directions).
5 ) Place in a greased bowl, turn to grease the top, cover with a clean tea towel, and allow the dough to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until double.
6 ) Punch down and form into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and grease tops.
7 ) Cover, and allow to rise for 45 minutes, or until it is just about to the tops of the bread pans.
8 ) Bake in a preheated oven to 375F for 30 minutes. You can cover the tops with foil if they brown too fast.
9 ) Remove loaves from oven and brush with melted butter, and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes. and then gently run a knife around the edge between the bread and the pan to loosen it.
10 ) Turn out and cool completely on a rack, and cover the loaves if you want soft crusts.
Notes: The baking soda does two things… It works with the acid in the buttermilk to help the bread rise high and light and balances any off-tastes from the acids in the buttermilk.
