Buttermilk Bread

Buttermilk Bread

INGREDIENTS

1 Package Active Dry Yeast

2 Teaspoons Salt

4 ¾ Cups Unbleached Flour

¼ Cup Sugar

1 ¾ Cups Buttermilk

½ Cup Butter

In a large bowl combine the yeast, salt and 2 cups of flour. In a medium saucepan heat the sugar, buttermilk and 6 tablespoons of butter over a medium low heat until very war. The temperature should be between 120° F to 130° F. The butter does not need to melt. With a mixer gradually beat the buttermilk mixture, on a low speed, into the flour mixture just until blended. Do not over mix. Increase the speed and beat 2 minutes longer. Scrape the bowl often. Beat in 1 cup of flour to make a thick batter. Beat the batter for another 2 minutes. Keep scraping the bowl. With a wooden spoon stir in 1 ½ cups flour to make the dough stiff. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Work in ¼ cup more flour while kneading. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl. Turn the dough to grease the top. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled. Punch down the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Grease two loaf pans and shape each piece of dough into a loaf. Place the seam side down in the loaf pans. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for another 1 hour until doubled. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Melt the remaining butter. With a sharp knife slash the top of each loaf lengthwise. Cut about ¼ inch deep. Brush the slashes with melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves