Bread Making

Cold weather always brings thoughts of home made breads, warm kitchens, and grandmas. Some of my fondest memories of growing up are of us kids being chased out of grandma's kitchen because we were underfoot and in the way. After the dinner was cleared away and the dishes done we'd watch as she mixed up a batch or two of bread. I know for all you youngsters this idea of whipping up a batch or two of bread may seem daunting, but stay with me.

As a small child it was always magical to see flour and water mixed together, changing into a wonderful smelling and tasting bread. Just waiting for it to be completed while our mouths watered, excited and filled with anticipation of getting a taste of that warm, buttery bread.

Watching grandma knead the dough, punching it down and waiting for her to let us try. Seeing my small hand in hers touching the dough was always fascinating. When I make my own bread and get to that part, feeling the warm soft texture, breathing in the smell of sweet yeast, it always fills me with a sense of satisfaction.

bubbly

Then the anticipation of getting the first warm slice of bread smothered in butter, its worth all of the waiting. Try out the recipe I use,  Buttertop Bread from King Arthur Flour. You can do it!

• 3 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons potato flour or 1/3 cup dry potato flakes
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons soft or melted butter
• 3/4 cup to 7/8 cup lukewarm milk*
• At the end, top with 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• *Use the greater amount in the summer, the lesser amount in the winter, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft, elastic dough.

Mix yeast with 3/4 cup lukewarm milk and let set 10 to 15 min until bubbly.

Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients together until you've made a smooth, though somewhat sticky dough. If you're uncertain about the amount of milk to use, start with the lesser amount; you can always add more as you go along.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, which allows you to track the dough's progress as it rises. Cover, and allow the dough to rise for about 90 minutes; it should become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk.
Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a 9" log. Place it in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan.
Using a sharp knife, cut the loaf vertically down the middle from one end of the pan to the other, almost but not quite to the bottom of the pan.

Cover the loaf with lightly greased plastic wrap (or a shower cap), and allow it to rise until its top has crowned about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 45 to 60 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly greased loaf pans

Ready to bake!

Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it's golden brown. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil after about 15 minutes of baking; because of its somewhat higher sugar content, this bread tends to over-brown if not covered.

Remove the bread from the oven, and brush it with melted butter. Cool completely before slicing.

Store bread, tightly wrapped, for several days at room temperature; freeze for longer storage.

Yield: 1 loaf, about 18 servings.

We'll keep it a secret that I enjoyed making it just as much as they enjoyed eating it. (And that I never make just one loaf!) May you find comfort in your warm, bread baked kitchen! And don't forget to check out my Etsy Shop for newly added warm-weather goods!