Yeast Bread: Frannie's Fast, Fabulous Buttermilk Bread

By NicoleS

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large measuring cup, combine the water and yeast. Let stand until foamy. As the yeast proofs, combine the buttermilk and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, and heat over lot heat until the butter melts. (Don't worry if the buttermilk curldes). Remove the scalded buttermilk mixture from the heat, and let stand until lukewarm. Combine with the proofed yeast.


2. In a food processor, combine 4 cups of the flour with the salt, baking soda, and sugar. Buzz with a few spins to blend. Then, with the machine running, add the buttermilk mixture through the feed tube. Process until the dough comes together, forming "a ball that whips around the workbowl and dings slightly to the sides, cleaning them". If the dough is too moist, add additional flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, from the extra cup. If too dry, add more buttermilk.


3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it until smooth and elastci, 5-7 minutes. Butter a bowl with 1 tablespoon butter and place dough in it. Cover with a clean cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch it down, and let it rise again, covered, again until doubled, this time 45-60 minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured surace, knead it for a minute or so, then cover it, on the work surface, with a towel, for a third quick rise. (The dough is only resting for 10 minutes, not doing a full-scale rise.)


4. Divide the dough in half and form in into two loaves. Plac them into standard size loaf pans buttered with a teaspoon or so of butter. Cover, and let rise again, for the final time, 45-60 minutes.


5. Towards the end of the fourth rise, preheat the oven to 350°F.


6. Bake the loaves until nicely golden, 35-45 minutes. Then turn them out onto wire racks to cool. Brush the tops with butter.


Variation: Substituting 1-2 cups whole-wheat flour for an equal amount of unbleached all-purpose white flour.