HONEY BUTTERMILK BREAD

This buttermilk bread recipe is one of my all time favorite yeast breads. The buttermilk gives it a tender crumb, the bread flour gives it more rise, and the honey adds a country sweetness that changes depending on the type of honey you use.

Ingredients

1 envelope yeast
1/4 cup warm water
pinch of ginger (helps activate the yeast)
2 cups warm buttermilk
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups white bread flour

Instructions

1. Mix the ginger, sugar,yeast, and water and set aside for five minutes.
2. Mix buttermilk, honey, salt, baking soda in with the yeast mixture.
3. Add three cups of flour and mix until smooth. On an electric mixer it is about 5 minutes on low speed.
4. Mix in butter until it is totally incorporated into batter.
5. Now, begin to add the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, keeping mixer on low speed.
6. When dough pulls from the sides of the bowl remove it from the mixer to a floured surface and knead until elastic and smooth.
7. Place in greased bowl, turn to grease the top, cover and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
8. Punch down and form into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans and grease tops.
9. Cover, and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 30 minutes, covering tops with foil if they brown too fast.
11. Remove loaves from oven and brush with melted butter.
12. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes.
13. Turn out and cool completely on a rack. Cover the loaves if you want soft crusts.

You almost can’t find real buttermilk anymore. Have you read the ingredients in that stuff? I prefer to make my own, although admittedly you have to start with the commercial buttermilk.
My dad used to drink this stuff. He’d add some salt an pepper and then drink it down. I couldn’t do it back then and I can’t do it now — but I do love what it does for tenderizing meat and making amazing baked stuff.